DISTRIBUTED-WORK-MODEL/OAKLAND, Calif., June 5 — Today, Cash App is launching a new payment form factor that’s changing the shape of money. Cash App Tags are NFC-enabled, physical payment accessories that let customers pay without having to reach for their phone or card.
The first-edition Cash App Tag—the pearlescent Cash App Wand—is now available for Cash App Card holders to purchase in the app, while supplies last. Designed to match the way Gen Z expresses their style and identity, the Cash App Wand is equipped with a keychain so customers can clip, wear, and carry it with ease. Cash App Tags were built for on-the-go payments and also shine in situations where phones aren’t allowed or cumbersome to pull out, from paying for food at a venue that’s phone-free, to ordering merch at a music festival without digging through a bag for a card.
“While digital wallets are invisible and physical cards are often buried in wallets, Cash App Tags are just the opposite,” said Thomas Templeton, Hardware Lead at Block. “We see a unique opportunity here to make payments visible and social for the first time. Early testers have told us that they’ve loved carrying the Wand and showing it off at checkout, so we believe there’s a real appetite for this among our customers”
1 in 5 American teens2 already have the customizable Cash App Card—the most popular debit card in the US among this audience3—and use it as a vehicle for self-expression by choosing exclusive styles, stamps, and emojis, and even drawing their own designs. A recent Cash App survey of Gen Z consumers also found that 38% purchase collectibles, accessories, or limited edition items at least monthly, more than any other generation.4 Cash App Tags meet the moment by turning the point of sale into an eye-catching extension of customers’ personal style.
The Cash App Wand is the first of multiple styles Cash App plans to introduce. In the coming weeks, the brand will drop limited runs of new Cash App Tag designs to Cash App Card holders ahead of general availability later this summer.
“We see this as an early starting point for Cash App Tags. The number of form factors we can create is nearly limitless,” added Templeton. “From clothing to jewelry, almost any item can become a way to pay with this technology. We’re looking forward to hearing what our customers want to see next.”
To get started, customers must have an active Cash App Card. They can activate their Tag by opening Cash App on their phone, then linking their Tag to their Cash App Card by following the instructions in the app. Once the Tag is activated, customers can tap to pay in less than a second without holding a phone or card.
Since Cash App Tags operate the same as the Cash App Card, they will work where Visa tap to pay is accepted and there are no minimum balance or activity requirements. Tags also have built-in security features including real-time transaction alerts, 24/7 fraud monitoring, and the ability to instantly lock and unlock the Tag within the app. Customers can also use the app to deactivate a Cash App Tag at any time.
The Wand is available starting today for $25 (plus any applicable sales tax) exclusively through Cash App. Cash App Tags are currently available for eligible customers ages 13 and up.5