Samsung Galaxy Card Applications Open July 22, Issued by Barclays on Visa

Applications open July 22 for the Galaxy Card, issued by Barclays on the Visa network. Cardmembers earn 5 percent cash rewards on purchases made directly from Samsung in the United States, 3 percent on purchases made with the Galaxy Card through the Samsung Wallet app, 2 percent on streaming subscriptions, and 1 percent on all other purchases when using the physical card.

Rewards can be redeemed as statement credits or transferred to a checking or savings account. The card carries no foreign transaction fees. Additional benefits include a 20 percent discount on Samsung's VIP Advantage membership and a $200 cash reward after spending $2,000 within the first 90 days.

The physical card is made of recycled steel. A virtual version will be added to a user's Samsung Wallet account. The card is not restricted to Samsung device owners. Anyone may apply for and use the physical card, though access to Samsung Wallet features and the higher rewards tier requires the app, which runs only on Samsung smartphones and watches.

Accounts are managed through a BarclaysUS.com portal. Brian Riley, director of Credit Advisory Services at Javelin Strategy & Research, said entering the credit card space helps Samsung strengthen brand presence and loyalty.

He noted that many consumers maintain separate cards for different spending categories to maximize rewards. Sara Rathner, a credit card expert at NerdWallet, said the 3 percent reward on Samsung Wallet transactions stands out. She cited the example of tapping to pay at a subway turnstile, where the rate would apply to every commute.

Rathner added that the Apple Card demonstrated how certain features, such as pre-approval interest rate disclosure and daily reward posting, can improve credit card products for consumers overall.