Samsung Electronics is introducing its first co-branded credit card in the US in partnership with Barclays, the UK-based investment bank. The card, named the Samsung Galaxy Card, is designed so that the entire lifecycle of the product, from application to account management, spending review and reward redemption, can be handled through Samsung Wallet. The initiative is intended to increase usage of Samsung Wallet among US consumers.
Card structure and issuance
According to a Reuters, the Samsung Galaxy Card is issued by Barclays and operates on the Visa payment network. Applications opened online via the US Samsung.com website from 22 July 2026. All account functions, including reviewing spending history and accumulating or redeeming rewards, are integrated into the Samsung Wallet application rather than requiring a separate banking app or physical card management.
Reward structure
The card offers tiered cashback rates depending on the type of purchase. Cardholders receive 5% cashback on purchases of Samsung products, 3% cashback on payments made through Samsung Wallet, 2% cashback on subscription payments to streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ and Spotify, and 1% cashback on all other purchases.
New cardholders who spend more than USD 2,000 within the first 90 days of card issuance qualify for a USD 200 cash reward. Cardholders also receive a 20% discount on Samsung Electronics' paid membership services operating in the US.
A Samsung Electronics representative described the partnership with Barclays as the basis for a long-term strategic relationship, noting that the companies would consider additional products and features. A Barclays US Consumer Bank official said the card is intended to support customers who manage finances through mobile devices rather than physical wallets.
Barclays' US card expansion
The Samsung partnership follows Barclays' broader push to expand its US credit card portfolio through corporate partnerships. In 2024, Barclays acquired General Motors' credit card business, under which customers accumulate and redeem reward points on GM vehicle purchases.
Reuters characterised the launch as a direct competitive move against Apple Pay, which holds the largest share of the US mobile payments market. Apple pursued a comparable strategy in 2019, launching the Apple Card with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard, offering 1% cashback on standard purchases, 2% on Apple Pay transactions and 3% on Apple product purchases. JPMorgan Chase replaced Goldman Sachs as the card's issuer from January 2026. Apple Card is reported to have 12 million US users as of 2025, with an outstanding balance of USD 20 billion.
Data from eMarketer, cited in the report, puts 2026 digital wallet user numbers at 71.6 million for Apple Pay, 42 million for Google Pay, and 15 million for Samsung Wallet.
