82M Galaxy Phones Get USDC as Samsung Wallet Adds Stablecoin Transfers
Samsung Wallet will launch USDC transfers on 82M US Galaxy devices in late October: fee-free sends to wallets, bank payouts in 60+ countries, via Solana and Sui.
Samsung said on Oct. 7 that Samsung Wallet will begin supporting the USDC stablecoin in the U.S. during the last week of October. The feature will reach 82 million eligible Galaxy devices, letting users send USDC to external wallets with no transfer fee and move money to bank accounts of recipients in more than 60 countries, the company said. Solana and Sui will provide the blockchain rails.
The details
This is not a standalone crypto app: transfers are built into Samsung Wallet itself, with fiat on- and off-ramps. Samsung does not hold customer funds. Stablecoin accounts, custody and money movement are handled by regulated partners — licensed custodian Bastion, with Coinbase acting as USDC sub-custodian through Coinbase Prime Vault. Users need Android 13 or later, a Samsung account, identity verification and biometric authentication. Sends to external wallets are free, while bank payouts carry fees that vary by destination country.
"Sending money abroad should feel as convenient as using the wallet already on your phone," said Woncheol Chai, executive vice president and head of the Digital Wallet team at Samsung's mobile business. The Solana Foundation framed the deal as stablecoins breaking into the mainstream, noting that stablecoin supply on Solana is up nearly 20% year over year and that the network has processed $5.25 trillion in stablecoin volume in 2026. More markets are planned, subject to regulatory approval.
Samsung first floated stablecoin support at Galaxy Unpacked in London on July 22, showing a wallet mockup with USDC but naming no launch date, issuer or blockchain. All three are now known. In a separate release, Bastion confirmed it is one of Samsung Wallet's stablecoin partners, covering custody and cross-border remittances.
What it means for the market
For USDC and Solana, this is one of the largest consumer distribution channels yet — the wallet is already on the phone, with nothing extra to install. The real test is uptake: remittances are a market where stablecoins have a clear edge in speed and cost, but habits are slow to change.
The news has no direct bearing on Bitcoin, which trades around $82,900 (−1.2% over 24 hours) per our data, near its October low. See the daily summary for the wider picture, and our report on Solana's recent push into bank infrastructure with DvP settlement built with J.P. Morgan input.
