Samsung to launch 'innovative' physical debit card this summer

Announced in blog post penned by Samsung Pay VP Sang Ahn, the upcoming debit card is touted as "innovative" and will be backed by a cash management account at launch.

Not much is known about the program beyond a tie-up with SoFi, though it is expected to be closely integrated with Samsung's existing payments products.

"Over the past year we have been busy developing a mobile-first money management platform," Ahn writes. "Our vision is to help consumers better manage their money so that they can achieve their dreams and goals. Now more than ever, mobile financial services and money management tools will play an even bigger role in our daily lives while also opening up new possibilities.

Additional information about the debit card solution will be revealed "in the coming weeks."

The Samsung Pay expansion follows similar market moves from Apple and Huawei.

In 2019, Apple Card launched as a branded credit card backed by Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. The card boasts deep integration with the Wallet app in iOS to deliver unique money management tools like color-coded spending overviews, instant interest calculations and direct access to customer support via. Apple Business Chat. Like other Apple products, security is a major Apple Card feature.

Google, too, is rumored to compete with a more traditional debit card that links to a bank account associated with Google Pay.