Mobile Wallet Rewards: Apple Pay and Google Pay
Mobile wallets use your real card
Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay are not separate payment methods; they store your existing cards and pass the charge to whichever one you select. So you earn that card's normal rewards and the purchase codes in the same category it always would. There is no rewards penalty for going contactless.
A few cards pay a mobile-wallet bonus
Some issuers reward tap-to-pay specifically, offering a higher rate when you check out with a mobile wallet instead of the physical card. These offers come and go, so check current card terms. Where one exists, it is an easy way to earn more on everyday spending you already do.
Security is the bigger win
Mobile wallets use a device-specific token instead of your real card number, so the merchant never sees your actual account, which makes them more secure than a swipe and limits exposure in a data breach. See virtual card numbers and chip and contactless for the fundamentals.
Frequently asked questions
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