Samsung Adds Bitcoin Access — When Will Apple Follow?

In October 2025, Samsung introduced native support for Coinbase Wallet in its blockchain-enabled Galaxy devices. The move allows over 75 million users to access self-custody Bitcoin tools directly from their phone — no exchange login, no third-party custodians.

It’s a quiet but important shift. Samsung isn’t building its own exchange or launching a token. Instead, it’s offering access to open financial infrastructure, integrated at the device level.

Coinbase Wallet remains non-custodial — users hold their own keys and manage their own funds. Samsung’s role is to streamline access and security, especially for users in regions where mobile devices serve as primary banking tools.

This raises a natural question: What about Apple?

So far, Apple has kept its distance from Bitcoin. While iPhone users can download third-party wallets, there’s no native integration, no hardware wallet features, and no indication that Bitcoin is on the roadmap.

Apple may be waiting for further market clarity, or avoiding tension with existing payment partners. But as peers move forward — from Samsung to fintech firms like PayPal and Block — Apple’s absence grows more noticeable.

Bitcoin doesn't need Apple. But millions of users might benefit from what Apple does best: building intuitive, secure access to important technology. Samsung just took a step in that direction. Whether Apple joins them remains an open question.