Samsung Puts Crypto In 75 Million Pockets, Apple Refuses To Play

Image source: Grok

In a recent announcement, Samsung Electronics Co. (SSNLF) said it will offer exclusive Coinbase One (COIN) access to Samsung Wallet holders starting Oct 3. Additionally, Samsung Pay has been integrated as a payment method within the Coinbase app. It will give users access to perks like zero trading fees on select coins, enhanced staking rewards, and protection against unauthorized transfers.

With Samsung Pay now live as a payment method for Coinbase users, Galaxy users can more easily buy and move cryptocurrency with their phone's native payment method.

By embedding crypto into Samsung Wallet, the company is turning smartphones into on-ramps to digital assets. Users who already store their IDs, cards, and keys can now also store cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, in the same place. For many, this removes extra steps like installing another application or bridging between platforms.

Samsung’s push to expand its financial reach via Coinbase

Drew Blackard, SVP of Mobile Product Management at Samsung, described Samsung Wallet as “a trusted tool to millions of Galaxy users.” He added that their latest partnership with Coinbase will help users gain “a simple and streamlined way to access crypto from a leader in the industry.”

Coinbase Chief Business Officer Shan Aggarwal said the deal is a pairing of Samsung’s market scale with Coinbase’s regulated platform to expand crypto access to more users.

Apple keeps a distance from crypto

While the smartphone giant allows users to download crypto trading apps via the App Store, Apple (AAPL) has yet to embed any crypto features into its own services like Apple Pay or Apple Wallet.

Speaking during an interview last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook disclosed that he holds Bitcoin and Ethereum in his personal portfolio. He described it as a part of his personal investment strategy and said that it's only reasonable to include crypto for diversification. Cook added that he had done his own research before investing in Bitcoin.

However, in the same interview, Cook also made it clear that there is a distinction between his personal choices and Apple’s position. He stated that the company has no plans to invest its $200 billion cash reserve into Bitcoin or other crypto assets. Cook said people don't purchase Apple stock to gain exposure to the crypto market.

Given the scale of adoption in recent years, Apple’s cautious stance on crypto could soon start to look like a disadvantage.

Updated: Oct 6, 2025 4:00 PM EDT