Samsung Unveils Galaxy Card, Taking Aim at Apple Card

Samsung has quietly stepped into a lane long occupied by Apple. The company announced the Galaxy Card in the US, a new credit product built to reward shoppers who live inside Samsung’s hardware and services universe.

It’s a metal card with a black Samsung mark for the tactile crowd. And it comes with a virtual counterpart for the people who never leave home without their phone.

What you actually get

Samsung teamed up with Barclays US Consumer Bank and Visa to issue the card. Applications opened on July 22, available online and at Samsung retail locations around the United States.

New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of €186 after spending €1,860 within the first 90 days. The ongoing rewards are straightforward: 5 percent cash back on Samsung purchases, 3 percent on transactions made through Samsung Wallet, 2 percent on eligible streaming subscriptions, and 1 percent on everything else.

There are extras aimed squarely at Samsung loyalists: cardholders receive 20 percent off Samsung VIP Advantage, plus 5 percent cash back when buying or renewing a VIP Advantage membership. In short, the card stacks perks where Samsung already has leverage.

Is this an Apple Card rival? Yes and no. The timing matters. Apple introduced its own card more than seven years ago, and Samsung’s move feels like catching up rather than pioneering. But late entrants can still disrupt, especially when they lean on a massive device install base and an expanding wallet of services.

The question now is whether consumers will care about a metal card with ecosystem incentives. For heavy Samsung buyers who subscribe to streaming services and use Samsung Wallet, the math could be persuasive. For everyone else, the card’s 1 percent baseline reward won’t sway many decisions.

The Galaxy Card is a clear bet on loyalty: reward the people already committed to Samsung, and you keep them spending inside the brand.

Expect the usual comparisons. Analysts will weigh adoption against Apple’s experience and ask whether partnerships with banks and card networks will give Samsung the flexibility it needs to evolve rewards and privacy features. For users, the choice will come down to convenience, value, and whether Samsung’s perks feel meaningful over time.