What Is Samsung Wallet? Everything You Need to Know
You’ve probably heard of Samsung Wallet, or seen people paying with their Samsung phone or Galaxy Watch.
But what exactly is Samsung Wallet, and how does it work?
Samsung Wallet is Samsung’s digital wallet that stores a secure digital version of your cards, including your Merchantrade Money Visa card. Instead of pulling out a physical card or scanning QR codes, you can tap your Samsung phone or smartwatch to make quick, safe payments in stores, online, and in apps.
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about Samsung Wallet, including how to set it up and use it.
What Is Samsung Wallet?
Samsung Wallet is a digital wallet app built into compatible Samsung Galaxy phones and Galaxy Watches.
When you add your Merchantrade Money card, the app stores a secure digital version of your card on your phone. This lets you tap your phone to pay anywhere Visa contactless payments are accepted at supermarkets, convenience stores, LRT stations, and shops locally or overseas.
Besides payment cards, Samsung Wallet can also store supported digital items such as:
- Boarding passes
- Event tickets
- Loyalty cards
- Digital keys (supported devices)
- Gift cards (where supported)
Everything stays organised in one place, making it easy to access whenever you need it.
Why Use Samsung Wallet?
Samsung Wallet makes everyday payments quicker and more convenient, whether you’re at home or overseas.
Most of us already have our phone in hand. With Samsung Wallet, there’s no need to take out your card or open your eWallet scanner every time you pay. Simply unlock your compatible Samsung phone or Galaxy Watch and tap.
Whether you’re grabbing coffee before work, buying groceries after a long day or picking up lunch during your break, Samsung Wallet lets you pay with a simple tap.
Best of all, it’s free to use. Adding and using your Merchantrade Money card doesn’t cost anything extra and it doesn’t replace your physical card. It simply gives you another way to pay whenever it’s more convenient.
How Does Samsung Wallet Work?
Samsung Wallet doesn’t store money. Think of it as a digital version of your physical wallet. It securely stores your payment card while your money remains in your Merchantrade Money wallet.
When you make a purchase, the payment is processed through your linked Merchantrade Money card.
Your spending, balances and transaction history continue to work exactly the same. The only difference is that you’re paying with your compatible Samsung phone or Galaxy Watch instead.
When you tap to pay, Samsung Wallet doesn’t share your actual card number with the merchant. Instead, it uses secure digital credentials to process the payment, helping protect your card information.
Your purchases also appear in your Merchantrade Money transaction history, making it easy to keep track of your spending.
Where Can You Use Samsung Wallet?
One of the biggest questions people have is whether Samsung Wallet works everywhere.
The good news is, yes, if a merchant accepts Visa contactless payments, you can tap your compatible Samsung phone or Galaxy Watch to pay.
In Malaysia
Samsung Wallet is great for everyday payments at places like:
- Convenience stores
- Cafés and coffee shops
- Restaurants
- Supermarkets
- Pharmacies
- Shopping malls
Once you’ve used it a few times, tapping your phone can become just as natural as tapping your physical card.
Overseas
When you travel, Samsung Wallet works with your Merchantrade Money card just like it does at home.
If you’ve already exchanged and hold the local currency before your trip, eligible purchases are deducted directly from your available foreign currency balance. This lets you lock-in your exchange rate before you travel and avoid unnecessary foreign currency conversions at the time of payment.
Imagine you’ve just landed in Japan after a long flight. Instead of searching through your wallet, simply unlock your compatible Samsung phone or Galaxy Watch and tap to pay for your train ticket, convenience store snacks or your first meal. If you already hold Japanese Yen (JPY) in your Merchantrade Money multi-currency wallet, your purchase is deducted directly from your JPY balance. You’ll enjoy the same seamless experience whether you’re using public transport in Singapore, enjoying coffee in Australia or shopping across Europe. When paying in a supported currency that you already hold, eligible purchases are deducted directly from that currency balance, making payments feel just as easy as they do at home.
Paying with Samsung Wallet overseas doesn’t incur any additional charges. Your payment is processed the same way as using your physical Merchantrade Money card.
Can You Pay with a Samsung Galaxy Watch?
Absolutely. If you have a compatible Samsung Galaxy Watch that supports Samsung Wallet, you can leave your phone in your pocket and pay directly from your smartwatch.
It’s especially useful when you’re:
- Working out
- Going for a run or walk
- Carrying shopping bags
- Travelling light
- Commuting on public transport
- Grabbing a quick coffee
Just raise your wrist, authenticate if required and tap to pay.
How To Pay With Samsung Wallet
Samsung Wallet vs Samsung Pay: What’s the Difference?
Samsung Pay was Samsung’s original payment app. Today, it’s part of Samsung Wallet, which combines payments and other digital features in one app:
- Samsung Wallet is the app where your payment cards and other supported digital items are stored.
- Samsung Pay is the payment feature within Samsung Wallet that lets you tap to pay.
Is Samsung Wallet Safe?
Yes. Samsung Wallet is designed with multiple layers of security to help protect your payment information.
When making a payment with Samsung Wallet, your actual card number isn’t shared with the merchant.
Instead, Samsung Wallet uses tokenisation, replacing your card details with a unique digital token during the transaction. This helps keep your payment information private, even when you tap to pay.
Every payment must also be authorised using your fingerprint, face recognition or Samsung Wallet PIN, so only you can make purchases from your device.
Samsung Wallet is also protected by Samsung Knox, Samsung’s built-in security platform that helps safeguard your personal information.
If your phone is ever lost or stolen, you can remotely locate, lock or erase it using Samsung’s Find service, giving you an extra layer of protection.
Together, these security features help make Samsung Wallet a secure and easy way to pay, whether you’re in Malaysia or travelling overseas.
Which Devices Support Samsung Wallet?
Samsung Wallet is available on compatible Samsung Galaxy devices that support NFC (Near Field Communication), including:
- Compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphones
- Compatible Samsung Galaxy Watches that support Samsung Wallet
Not sure if your device is supported? Check here for Samsung Wallet supported devices.
Even if you don’t have Samsung Wallet pre-installed on your device, you can always download & install it from the Samsung Galaxy Store.
How to Add Your Merchantrade Money Visa Card to Samsung Wallet
There are two ways to add your Merchantrade Money Visa Card to Samsung Wallet:
- Add it directly from the Merchantrade Money app (recommended), or
- Add it manually through the Samsung Wallet app.
Before you begin, make sure:
- Your Merchantrade Money app is updated to the latest version.
- Samsung Wallet is installed on your compatible Samsung device.
- NFC is enabled on your phone.
Method 1: Add your card from the Merchantrade Money app
New Samsung Wallet users
If this is your first time using Samsung Wallet, you will need to setup Samsung Wallet first, then add your Merchantrade Money card.
- Launch Galaxy Store and install Samsung Wallet
- Sign in to your Samsung account
- Choose your verification method
- Next, open your phone Settings, search for NFC and enable it.
- Tap Default wallet app.
- Select Samsung Wallet.
- Close Settings and launch the Merchantrade Money app.
- Tap the Samsung Wallet icon.
- Verify with app passcode or fingerprint.
- Tap Add to Samsung Wallet.
- Tap Confirm.
- Accept the Samsung Wallet Terms of Service.
- Done! Your card is ready to use with Samsung Wallet.
Existing Samsung Wallet users
You can add your card directly from the Merchantrade Money app.
- Open your Merchantrade Money app.
- Tap the Samsung Wallet icon.
- Verify with app passcode or fingerprint.
- Tap Add to Samsung Wallet.
- Tap Confirm.
- Accept the Samsung Wallet Terms of Service.
- Done! Your card is ready to use with Samsung Wallet.
Method 2: Add your card from Samsung Wallet
New Samsung Wallet users
If this is your first time using Samsung Wallet, you will need to setup Samsung Wallet first, then add your Merchantrade Money card.
- Launch Galaxy Store and install Samsung Wallet
- Sign in to your Samsung account
- Choose your verification method
- Next, open your phone Settings, search for NFC and enable it.
- Tap Default wallet app.
- Select Samsung Wallet.
- Close Settings and open Samsung Wallet.
- Tap Add card, then scan your card or enter card details manually.
- Make sure the card details are visible within the frame.
- Review your card details and enter your Security Code.
- Accept the Samsung Wallet Terms of Service.
- Done! Your card is ready to use with Samsung Wallet.
For existing Samsung Wallet users
You can add your card directly from Samsung Wallet.
- Launch the Samsung Wallet app.
- Click on the [+] icon.
- Select Payment cards, then scan your card or enter card details manually.
- Make sure the card details are visible within the frame.
- Review your card details and enter your Security Code.
- Accept the Samsung Wallet Terms of Service.
- Select your preferred verification method.
- For Open banking app, tap Approve in the Merchantrade Money app. For Text message, enter the OTP received in SMS.
- Done! Your card is ready to use with Samsung Wallet.
Before making your first payment, make sure these settings are enabled in your Merchantrade Money app:
Go to Settings > click Card Settings
Enable:
✔️ Visa payWave
✔️ Mobile Wallet
These settings are required before you can make contactless payments with Samsung Wallet.
Ready To Try Samsung Wallet?
Now that you know how Samsung Wallet works, setting it up only takes a few minutes.
Add your Merchantrade Money Visa Card and start paying with your compatible Samsung Galaxy phone or Galaxy Watch wherever Visa contactless payments are accepted.
Fast. Easy. Secure. Tap phone jer.
