Don’t rush to declare a “payments revolution” just because a mobile wallet is adding stablecoins.
According to PANews, Coinbase announced that starting in the last week of October 2026, $USDC will automatically be the default option when U.S. users add stablecoin funds to Samsung Wallet. Samsung Wallet comes preinstalled on Galaxy devices, and around 82 million compatible devices are expected to be in use in the U.S. when the feature launches. There will be two initial use cases: transfers to compatible external crypto wallets, or remittances to overseas bank accounts, with recipients receiving the funds in their local currency. The underlying service is provided by Bastion, and the USDC will be held in custody by Coinbase Prime. Bastion withdrawals cover bank accounts in more than 60 countries. Account holders must be U.S. residents, and customers in New York State currently cannot withdraw to bank accounts. Samsung has not yet fully disclosed the exact scope, fees, or settlement times, and details on revenue sharing have also yet to be announced. For USDC, this is a channel-level breakthrough in competing with USDT for payment use cases.
In terms of the numbers, USDC’s circulating supply grew 72% in 2025 to more than $75 billion. In the second quarter of 2026, it fell from around $77 billion to $73.3 billion, a decline of about 4.8%. Meanwhile, adjusted transaction volume in June was around $1.21 trillion, accounting for about 67% of adjusted stablecoin transaction volume. Around 95% of Circle’s revenue comes from yield on reserve assets. In the second quarter, revenue and reserve income totaled $701 million, while distribution and other costs came to $412 million, or 59%. Coinbase is Circle’s largest distribution partner, and their agreement has been renewed through 2029.
One observation: with 82 million compatible devices, this is certainly a prominent entry point. Another: circulating supply is falling even as on-chain transactions remain active, so the real question is whether new funds will stick around. Which outcome are you more interested in: will this partnership first boost brand visibility, or will it first drive actual transfer volumes?
Image 1: Image accompanying the PANews article “Samsung Wallet Defaults to USDC: How Much of Its Dollar Balance Can It Retain?”
Image source: https://www.panewslab.com/zh/articles/01a12dd8-cc4d-7672-85bb-31489cd8c72a
According to PANews, Coinbase announced that starting in the last week of October 2026, $USDC will automatically be the default option when U.S. users add stablecoin funds to Samsung Wallet. Samsung Wallet comes preinstalled on Galaxy devices, and around 82 million compatible devices are expected to be in use in the U.S. when the feature launches. There will be two initial use cases: transfers to compatible external crypto wallets, or remittances to overseas bank accounts, with recipients receiving the funds in their local currency. The underlying service is provided by Bastion, and the USDC will be held in custody by Coinbase Prime. Bastion withdrawals cover bank accounts in more than 60 countries. Account holders must be U.S. residents, and customers in New York State currently cannot withdraw to bank accounts. Samsung has not yet fully disclosed the exact scope, fees, or settlement times, and details on revenue sharing have also yet to be announced. For USDC, this is a channel-level breakthrough in competing with USDT for payment use cases.
In terms of the numbers, USDC’s circulating supply grew 72% in 2025 to more than $75 billion. In the second quarter of 2026, it fell from around $77 billion to $73.3 billion, a decline of about 4.8%. Meanwhile, adjusted transaction volume in June was around $1.21 trillion, accounting for about 67% of adjusted stablecoin transaction volume. Around 95% of Circle’s revenue comes from yield on reserve assets. In the second quarter, revenue and reserve income totaled $701 million, while distribution and other costs came to $412 million, or 59%. Coinbase is Circle’s largest distribution partner, and their agreement has been renewed through 2029.
One observation: with 82 million compatible devices, this is certainly a prominent entry point. Another: circulating supply is falling even as on-chain transactions remain active, so the real question is whether new funds will stick around. Which outcome are you more interested in: will this partnership first boost brand visibility, or will it first drive actual transfer volumes?
Image 1: Image accompanying the PANews article “Samsung Wallet Defaults to USDC: How Much of Its Dollar Balance Can It Retain?”
Image source: https://www.panewslab.com/zh/articles/01a12dd8-cc4d-7672-85bb-31489cd8c72a