Samsung Launches Galaxy Card with Cashback Up to 5%: The Challenge to Apple is On

Samsung has officially presented the Galaxy Card in the United States, launching its first credit card aimed at the American market after its experience in South Korea. With this move, the South Korean company aims to directly challenge the financial setup that Apple has built since 2019, offering a physical and digital solution closely tied to its hardware and software ecosystem.

Produced with a matte black metallic finish adorned with the company logo, the card is born from a collaboration with Barclays and utilizes the Visa payment network. The commercial strategy aims to encourage the purchase of proprietary products through a tiered cashback system. Users earn 5% cashback on direct purchases made at Samsung channels, including devices from the Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Watch lines. The cashback drops to 3% for payments made via the Samsung Wallet app, is set at 2% for audiovisual or music streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify, and guarantees 1% back on all other everyday purchases.

Integration with Samsung Wallet and Financial Conditions

The integration with Samsung Wallet is the central pillar of the user experience. Once credit assessment is passed and approval is granted, the card is instantly configured within the application, allowing immediate use for digital transactions. The protection infrastructure relies on the Knox security platform, integrated at the hardware level in the devices, ensuring the protection of personal data and encryption keys.

In terms of costs, the card does not have any annual management fee. To incentivize adoption during the launch phase, the company has included a welcome bonus of $200 in cashback, provided the cardholder makes purchases totaling at least $2,000 within ninety days of issuance. Subscription unlocks a 20% reduction on the cost of the VIP Advantage subscription, an annual program that includes comprehensive Care+ coverage, increased points accumulation, and priority access.

Compared to the solution presented by Apple in previous years, Samsung's proposal differs in the use of metal rather than titanium and the absence of a linked high-yield deposit account. Access to applications for the general public in the United States will begin on July 22, while a selection of users has already received the opportunity to send requests in advance.