Samsung’s answer to Apple Card is here, but the two won’t be battling it out for customers just yet. While Apple Card remains a U.S. exclusive, Samsung Pay Card on Tuesday made its debut in the U.K.
Samsung’s product has some neat advantages over Apple’s, like the ability to link multiple cards together. It’s the result of a partnership between Samsung, MasterCard, and British fintech company Curve.
While Apple Card is a more traditional credit card, then, Samsung Pay Card hopes to replace your entire wallet. You can pair it with existing credit or debit cards, then choose the one you want before you pay.
Unsurprisingly, Samsung Pay Card is aimed predominantly at those who use Samsung Galaxy devices. Samsung calls it “the future of banking.”
Samsung Pay Card lands in the U.K.
“Now, more than ever, people need a secure payment solution they can rely on,” said Conor Pierce, corporate vice president of Samsung U.K. “We’re excited to be able to put the control back into our customers’ hands by launching Samsung Pay Card.”
“Through our partnership with Curve, the Samsung Pay Card brings a series of pioneering features that will change the way that our customers manage their spending, with their Samsung smartphone and smartwatch at the heart of it.”
In addition to merging all your cards into one, Samsung Pay Card offers all the features you would expect from a payment service in 2020. That includes instant notifications for all transactions, and NFC payments.
It has its own set of benefits, too, such as 5% cashback on purchases from Samsung, and 1% cashback on purchases from other retailers. It also promises competitive currency conversion rates for travelers.
It’s not actually a card
Samsung makes security a priority also. Its service is protected by Samsung Knox, the South Korean company’s own “multi-layered defense-grade” security system, which also protects its devices.
The other big difference between Samsung Pay Card and Apple Card? Samsung Pay Card isn’t actually a card. The service is completely digital, so everything is handled by your phone or your watch.
“This is the future of banking and we look forward to continuing this journey with our customers,” Pierce added.
Samsung Pay Card is exclusive to Samsung Galaxy users in the U.K. for now. There’s no word on when it will be available elsewhere just yet.
