Samsung Wallet on Galaxy S26 Could Get Major Payment Upgrade

Samsung is supposed to launch the Galaxy S26 series in early 2026, which is expected to feature the existing NFC coil at the back of the phone but have an additional NFC antenna at the top of the device.
The Galaxy S26 series is reported to include three models, named Galaxy S26 Pro, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. Now, a new report from ETNews revealed that Samsung is looking forward to offering an additional NFC antenna at the top of the device.
If the report comes true, then the next-generation Galaxy S26 series smartphones will feature both an NFC coil at the back and an additional NFC antenna at the top. This will be significant for users to tap their phones at point-of-sale (PoS) machines at ticket counters, retail stores, and other places where people pay for things using Samsung Wallet.
Presently, Samsung offers an NFC coil at the back of Galaxy smartphones beside the camera, which forces users to twist the phone slightly to make a payment. Now, with the additional NFC antenna, users will get an enhanced tap-to-pay experience.
Regarding this, an official stated, “Apple holds many related patents, so it took Samsung Electronics a considerable amount of time to technically circumvent them.”
Reportedly, Samsung hasn’t started production for its Galaxy S26’s design with the new NFC antenna placement yet, so it will be interesting to see whether the report comes true. In case this happens, it will improve the mobile payment experience for Samsung Wallet users. Since there’s no official word regarding the additional NFC antenna coming into existence, there’s still some room for last-minute changes.