Samsung to launch 'innovative' physical debit card this summer
Following in the footsteps of Apple Card, and in the shadow of a rumored debit card solution from Google, Samsung on Thursday announced plans to field a physical debit card product in partnership with finance company SoFi.
Announced in blog post penned by Samsung Pay VP Sang Ahn, the upcoming debit card is touted as "innovative" and will be backed by a cash management account at launch.
Not much is known about the program beyond a tie-up with SoFi, though it is expected to be closely integrated with Samsung's existing payments products.
"Over the past year we have been busy developing a mobile-first money management platform," Ahn writes. "Our vision is to help consumers better manage their money so that they can achieve their dreams and goals. Now more than ever, mobile financial services and money management tools will play an even bigger role in our daily lives while also opening up new possibilities.
Additional information about the debit card solution will be revealed "in the coming weeks."
The Samsung Pay expansion follows similar market moves from Apple and Huawei.
In 2019, Apple Card launched as a branded credit card backed by Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. The card boasts deep integration with the Wallet app in iOS to deliver unique money management tools like color-coded spending overviews, instant interest calculations and direct access to customer support via. Apple Business Chat. Like other Apple products, security is a major Apple Card feature.
Google, too, is rumored to compete with a more traditional debit card that links to a bank account associated with Google Pay.
Announced in blog post penned by Samsung Pay VP Sang Ahn, the upcoming debit card is touted as "innovative" and will be backed by a cash management account at launch.
Not much is known about the program beyond a tie-up with SoFi, though it is expected to be closely integrated with Samsung's existing payments products.
"Over the past year we have been busy developing a mobile-first money management platform," Ahn writes. "Our vision is to help consumers better manage their money so that they can achieve their dreams and goals. Now more than ever, mobile financial services and money management tools will play an even bigger role in our daily lives while also opening up new possibilities.
Additional information about the debit card solution will be revealed "in the coming weeks."
The Samsung Pay expansion follows similar market moves from Apple and Huawei.
In 2019, Apple Card launched as a branded credit card backed by Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. The card boasts deep integration with the Wallet app in iOS to deliver unique money management tools like color-coded spending overviews, instant interest calculations and direct access to customer support via. Apple Business Chat. Like other Apple products, security is a major Apple Card feature.
Google, too, is rumored to compete with a more traditional debit card that links to a bank account associated with Google Pay.
Comments
I mean, presuming you wanted to. Asking for a friend.
Wonder how long it will take for that to spread to other countries.
Doesn't a debit card require a cash account? A quick scan of the SoFI site doesn't make it obvious that they support such an account.
Or... this thing? Might as well bring your REAL debit card.
When someone describes their forthcoming product as "innovative", it sounds as ridiculous as IT meetings where managers talk about "synergy" and "being pro-active".
Transactions on the new, innovative Samsung card are predicted to be "smooth".
This whole argument that Apple has fallen from innovation — one needs to ask "what exactly is innovation?" All too often it is defined as the regular pace of new macro consumer products. If Company A releases products at a faster pace than Company B, then Company A is being more innovative. That is a silly definition. Apple innovates deeper under the hood, maintaining a consistent, family user interface on the surface. But then consumers are like "Nothing has changed! No innovation!". Poor Apple. I believe that they innovate tremendously, just not visibly on the surface.
Now, Samsung releasing an "innovative" payment card... I do struggle with that.
Everyone is using the word to hide the fact they're copying another idea.
On topic ... I have zero interest in any debit card. Zero, nada, nil...