Stablecoin adoption is accelerating across consumer payments. Samsung Electronics America confirmed it will add USDC transfers to Samsung Wallet in the last week of October 2026, opening the feature to eligible U.S. Galaxy users across a stated footprint of 82 million compatible devices. Separately, South Korea’s Gwangju Bank and fintech company Toss announced a successful proof of concept for stablecoin QR payments, connecting banking apps with merchant terminals.
Samsung’s integration will allow users to send USDC to compatible crypto wallets internationally or to qualifying bank accounts in more than 60 countries. Bank recipients may receive funds in local currency, making the service relevant even when they do not have a crypto wallet. The company says users will not need a separate crypto app or have to manage private keys themselves. Compatible Galaxy devices will require biometric authentication to initiate transfers. Eligible users must be U.S. residents aged 18 or older with a Samsung Account and a compatible Galaxy device running Android 13 or higher.
The fee structure varies by destination. Samsung will not charge a fee for USDC transfers to external compatible wallets, although receiving wallet providers or exchanges may impose their own charges. Bank-account transfers have different fees by country and amount, and Samsung Wallet will display the applicable fee and estimated delivery time before confirmation. Bastion will power the cross-border payment framework, while Coinbase acts as Bastion’s official sub-custodian, safeguarding USDC through Coinbase Prime Vault. Samsung is not a bank, money transmitter, or digital-asset custodian and does not hold customer funds.
Samsung named Solana and Sui among the separate partners providing infrastructure and blockchain-network capabilities. “We’re bringing USDC transfers into Samsung Wallet so eligible Galaxy users can get started without installing another app or managing private keys themselves,” said Woncheol Chai, executive vice president and head of Samsung’s Digital Wallet Team. USDC is the first supported stablecoin, and future capabilities may include online or in-store tap-to-pay purchases and expansion into additional markets.
In South Korea, Gwangju Bank and Toss completed a proof of concept connecting Gwangju Bank’s mobile banking app, the Toss app, and Toss Place merchant payment terminals. Customers select the stablecoin payment option in Gwangju Bank’s app, scan a merchant QR code, review the amount, and confirm; stablecoins then move directly from the customer’s wallet to the merchant’s wallet. The companies are preparing a second trial to reduce the number of steps and are discussing additional tests with merchants in Gwangju and Jeonnam. Gwangju Bank Vice President Byun Mi-kyung said the project established a technical foundation for the bank to respond to developments in digital asset payments.
The South Korean trial comes as banks expand stablecoin payment experiments while lawmakers prepare to review new digital asset legislation in November. Toss has previously partnered with Optimism, Sunnyside Labs, Circle, and Solana Foundation on stablecoin and blockchain payment research. KB Financial Group and Shinhan Financial Group have also run stablecoin payment infrastructure tests, and the Financial Services Commission is preparing a second-stage digital asset framework with stablecoin regulation among the main issues.
