Samsung will roll out a new peer-to-peer payment feature this month called Tap to Transfer. Integrated directly into Samsung Wallet, it allows users to send money by tapping their smartphones together—no third-party app required.
The feature closely mirrors Apple’s Tap to Cash, introduced with iOS 18, where users can transfer funds via NFC by simply holding two Apple devices next to each other. Apple’s method enables transactions without sharing personal details like phone numbers or email addresses.
Tap to Transfer also contrasts with Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone, a tool aimed at businesses. Tap to Pay turns iPhones into contactless payment terminals that work with compatible cards, Apple Pay, and other digital wallets. However, Tap to Pay requires a third-party app such as Shopify, Square, or Clover. Samsung’s Tap to Transfer does not.
With Samsung’s version, users can send money to any recipient with a tap-enabled debit card, even if it’s stored in a different digital wallet like Apple Wallet. A Samsung Wallet with an eligible Visa or Mastercard debit card is sufficient to initiate the transfer over NFC.
This functionality is enabled through Samsung’s collaboration with Visa and Mastercard. It allows funds to be sent directly to recipients’ bank accounts using their debit card credentials—without downloading any extra applications. If the recipient has a physical tap-enabled debit card, they can receive money even without a digital wallet.
Samsung’s system allows payments to be sent to users across different platforms, including iPhone. However, there is no way for iPhone users to initiate a payment to Samsung devices, due to Apple’s closed approach and reliance on Apple Cash and partner apps.
The feature also supports Samsung-to-Samsung transfers using direct device taps, closely paralleling the experience Apple offers with Tap to Cash.