Samsung adds Solana USDC transfers to Samsung Wallet

Samsung will add USDC cross-border transfers to Samsung Wallet for eligible U.S. Galaxy users in the last week of October, bringing stablecoin payments into an app they already use instead of requiring a separate crypto wallet. The shift gives USDC a potential route to everyday phone users, while leaving custody and payment infrastructure to partners.

Samsung Electronics America said the service will initially support USDC and reach 82 million U.S. Galaxy devices compatible with Samsung Wallet. That figure is the potential device base, not a count of users who have signed up. The company’s announcement says Solana and Sui are among the partners providing infrastructure and blockchain network support; The Block’s report identifies both networks as operating behind the feature.

How will Galaxy users send USDC?

Users will initiate transfers inside Samsung Wallet, without installing another crypto app or managing private keys themselves, according to Samsung. For an on-chain transfer, they can send USDC to compatible external crypto wallets or exchange accounts internationally. Samsung says it will charge no fee for those transfers, though the receiving wallet provider or exchange may impose one, and transfer speed depends on network conditions.

There is also a separate route for sending money to eligible bank accounts in more than 60 countries. In that case, recipients may receive local currency directly, without needing a crypto wallet. That option has different terms: fees vary by destination and amount, and the app is to show the fee and estimated delivery time before the sender confirms. Supported countries and recipient banks will limit who can use it.

Who holds the USDC, and which networks are involved?

The service is partner-run rather than self-custodied. Samsung says stablecoin accounts and payment movement will be provided by Bastion, which it describes as a licensed stablecoin custodian and infrastructure provider overseen by U.S. financial regulators. Coinbase will act as sub-custodian, with USDC held through Coinbase Prime Vault. Samsung says it is not the custodian and does not hold customer funds.

Solana is one of the networks supporting the service, with Sui also named as an infrastructure partner. The Block reports that both networks will operate behind the scenes. This gives users access to more than one blockchain route for USDC, but Samsung’s announcement does not spell out how the app will choose a network or whether users will be able to select one. The user-facing offer is stablecoin transfers inside Samsung Wallet, not direct management of SOL or SUI: Samsung says USDC will be the first supported stablecoin.

What changes compared with the existing options?

For users who already rely on a crypto exchange or standalone wallet, the proposed change is where they start a transfer: Samsung is placing stablecoin access alongside cards and other wallet features. That can remove some setup steps, but it also means users depend on the service’s eligibility rules and partner custody rather than controlling private keys themselves. Samsung requires eligible U.S. residents to be at least 18, have a Samsung Account and a compatible device running Android 13 or higher, and complete identity verification and biometric setup.

The launch is scheduled for late October in the United States; Samsung says expansion to other markets may follow subject to local regulatory developments. The next signals are whether the rollout arrives on schedule, which networks and recipient services are supported in the app, and how the bank-transfer fees and delivery times compare with sending USDC to a compatible wallet.

Sources and documents

• announcement — samsungmobilepress.com
• The Block’s report — theblock.co