Samsung is turning its Wallet app into a more active shopping tool. A new Samsung Wallet Perks experience, powered by Rakuten, is rolling out to eligible Galaxy users in the United States with cash-back offers for online purchases, stores and restaurants.
The update brings Rakuten offers, reward tracking and Samsung Cash redemption into Samsung Wallet. Samsung says the network covers more than 3,500 brands and over 25,000 in-store and dining partners. The convenience is real, but the system is not automatic in every situation: users may need to start an online shopping session from Wallet, activate an offer, link a payment card or wait for a merchant to confirm the purchase.
What Samsung Wallet Perks changes
Samsung Wallet already stores payment cards, tickets, digital keys and other credentials. The revamped Perks section adds a Rakuten-backed marketplace where eligible users can browse cash-back rates and merchant offers without opening a separate rewards app.
Samsung’s October 28 announcement says offers span online shopping, physical stores and restaurants. The list includes names such as Sephora, Expedia, PetSmart, Gap, Lands’ End and LEGO, although participating merchants and rates can change.
A Nearby feature can highlight participating businesses around the user. Samsung also says the app may surface personalized deals based on shopping activity. That could make offers easier to find, but people who prefer less personalization should review the Wallet privacy notice and permissions before enrolling.
You need a Rakuten account, even inside Samsung Wallet
The cash-back program is free to join, but Rakuten still operates the rewards layer. During setup, an existing Rakuten member can connect an account by entering the associated email address and confirming a one-time code. A person without an account can create one during enrollment.
Existing Rakuten balances remain available after the connection. Samsung says Samsung Cash becomes the default payout method for Rakuten rewards used through Wallet Perks. Users who switch to a different payout method cannot continue earning through Samsung Wallet Perks until they switch back.
The rollout requires the latest Samsung Wallet version. Samsung advises updating through the Galaxy Store if the Rakuten experience does not appear. Availability can vary by device, account and rollout timing, so an absent Perks tab does not necessarily mean the phone is unsupported.
Online cash back starts from the Perks tab
For an online offer, users select a merchant in Wallet Perks, read the terms and follow the provided link to the store’s website or app. The purchase should be completed in that same shopping session so the merchant can report it to Rakuten.
Samsung says online orders do not have to be paid with Samsung Pay; any payment method accepted by the merchant can qualify. The important part is the tracked shopping path and the offer’s conditions. Product exclusions, gift cards, coupon codes, subscription purchases and returns can affect eligibility, depending on the merchant.
Cash back may first appear as pending. The merchant must confirm the purchase, and the reward may remain unavailable until its return or cancellation window closes. Samsung’s support page advises waiting at least 24 hours before reporting a missing transaction through Perks Help.
Stores and restaurants use card-linked offers
Physical-location rewards work differently. Users link an eligible payment card in the Nearby Offers area, then pay with that same card at a participating business. Dining offers are added automatically after the card is linked, while many other in-store offers must be activated before the purchase.
A linked card can participate in only one dining rewards program at a time. Connecting it to another dining program can remove it from Rakuten’s dining offers in Samsung Wallet, according to Rakuten’s setup guide. That restriction matters for people already using airline, hotel or other card-linked dining programs.
Users should also check the exact card and merchant location shown in the offer. Paying with a different card, visiting a nonparticipating franchise or activating the deal after checkout may prevent the reward from tracking.
Rewards are redeemed through Samsung Cash
Eligible cash back can be moved to a Samsung Cash Card inside Wallet and then used for purchases or transfers. Samsung says the Cash Card can pay online and in stores, receive added funds and send money to eligible Samsung Wallet users in the United States.
There is a $5 minimum for cash-back redemption. Some Samsung Cash functions may also require identity verification, a registered or verified Cash account and additional personal information. The Wallet app requires a compatible Galaxy smartphone running Android 9 or later and a Samsung account.
The account structure is worth understanding. Samsung states that it is not a bank. Samsung Cash prepaid accounts and rewards cards are issued by Green Dot Bank under a Mastercard license. Samsung’s disclosure says the prepaid account can be eligible for pass-through FDIC insurance, while balances on the prepaid rewards card are not FDIC insured. Users should check which product they have rather than treating every Wallet balance the same way.
The new-member offer has a cap and conditions
Samsung says new Rakuten members can receive an extra 10% cash back on qualifying purchases, capped at an additional $50. That is a promotional ceiling, not a guaranteed payment. The purchase must satisfy the welcome offer’s terms, and rates or eligibility can vary.
Cash-back percentages also change by merchant, category and promotion. The rate displayed on an offer page is the relevant one for that session. A large percentage should not outweigh price comparison, return policies or other buying considerations; rewards only return a portion of money already spent.
What happens to rewards from Samsung’s previous program?
Samsung says earlier cash back is not erased. Users can find rewards earned before October 20, 2026, through the cash-back balance tile in the Perks page and select the option for older earnings.
This transition detail is easy to miss because the Rakuten-backed interface replaces the previous flow. Anyone with an expected balance should check both the current Rakuten total and the older-rewards view before assuming funds are missing.
Privacy and tracking deserve attention
Cash-back programs work by tracking qualifying purchases and matching them to an enrolled account. Online offers rely on the merchant reporting a completed order. In-store and dining offers require a linked payment card, while Nearby discovery and personalized recommendations may use activity and location-related signals.
That does not make the program inherently unsafe, but it creates a clear tradeoff: more convenient rewards require more data sharing among Samsung, Rakuten, merchants and payment partners. Users should read the offer terms, Samsung Wallet privacy notice and Rakuten privacy information, especially before linking a frequently used card or enabling location access.
Who is the update useful for?
The strongest fit is an eligible U.S. Galaxy owner who already uses Rakuten or wants cash back consolidated into Samsung Wallet. It can reduce app switching, make local offers easier to discover and turn confirmed rewards into a spendable Wallet balance.
It is less compelling for someone who avoids card-linked programs, prefers another Rakuten payout method, already participates in a competing dining network or does not want shopping activity used for personalized offers. The $5 redemption minimum and pending period also mean small rewards may not become usable immediately.
Samsung Wallet Perks is rolling out now in the United States. The service has no participation fee, but device support, participating merchants, cash-back rates, Samsung Cash features and user eligibility can vary. Before buying solely for a reward, confirm the offer is activated, the correct card or shopping link is being used, and the purchase is not excluded.
Sources: Samsung U.S. Newsroom; Samsung Wallet Cash Back FAQ; Rakuten guide; SamMobile.