New Apple Cash Accounts Now Branded as Visa Cards

[MacRumors]

The Apple Cash virtual debit card appears to be switching networks from Discover to Visa, as revealed in some updated images on Apple's website and noted by Twitter user @Kanjo.

Since its launch, Apple Cash (originally known as Apple Pay Cash) has been operated through a partnership with Green Dot Bank on the Discover network. Discover is one of the smaller card networks and is accepted in far fewer places than heavyweights Visa and Mastercard.

Over the past few days, several Apple Cash virtual card images on Apple's website have been swapped out for new ones displaying a Visa debit logo, and the transition to the more widely accepted network appears to be underway.

It's unclear whether Apple will be imminently transitioning existing Discover-based Apple Cash accounts to the Visa network, but in our testing it appears that new Apple Cash accounts are now being created with Visa.

If you currently have a Discover Apple Cash account, deactivating Apple Cash in Settings on your device and then reactivating it will generate a new Apple Cash Device Account Number on the Visa network.

Distinct from the Apple Card credit card, Apple Cash is similar to a debit card (though without a physical card) and allows users to easily send and receive money via Apple Pay and the Messages app. Users can keep funds stored in Apple Cash for easy access, link it to a bank account or other debit card to pull money out, or use the funds to pay off Apple Card balances. Apple Card cash back earnings are also paid out as Apple Cash.

Article Link: New Apple Cash Accounts Now Branded as Visa Cards

 

[gsmornot]

No logo on my card but details show its a Visa Debit and I have had it for a few years. So, updated I guess?

 

[Justin Cymbal]

Apple Cash works great

I prefer to use my Apple Cash card over my other cards for small purchases at convenient stores because the Apple Cash card never asks for signature or pin

You obviously forgo any rewards points that you would otherwise earn (with a credit card) but for purchases under $10 at a convenience store, I’d much rather the ease of not having to type in a pin or sign for it

I always make sure I have around $25 on my Apple Cash account for this very purpose and it definitely is convenient to not have to sign or enter a pin when buying something small at the gas station

 

[dustin.haley]

No logo on my card but details show its a Visa Debit and I have had it for a few years. So, updated I guess?

If you go into card details it will say “visa” network, OR when you attempt to pay with the Apple Cash Card the logo shows up. Mine also says Visa (now?).

 

[robinp]

Wonder if this is preparation for going international. Visa is much more widely used around the world I think.

 

[zapmymac]

No logo, but on the settings page it still says Discover.

 

[Tobsen]

Wonder if this is preparation for going international. Visa is much more widely used around the world I think.

Yes seems so, since Discover is nearly unavailable in Europe.

 

[Justin Cymbal]

Just read this line in this article:

”If you currently have a Discover Apple Cash account, deactivating Apple Cash in Settings on your device and then reactivating it will generate a new Apple Cash Device Account Number on the Visa network.”

I’m definitely planning to do this but considering today is the first day of this transition, I’m definitely going to wait a week or two, maybe even do it at 3 AM just so that it doesn’t cause issues with the servers because from past experience that is always a proactive way to avoid problems and lengthy phone calls to customer service if anything does go wrong with transitioning this.

 

[Jeroen]

Yes seems so, since Discover is nearly unavailable in Europe.

In Belgium, BNP Paribas has been replacing all their Maestro debit cards with Visa Debit cards. So Apple Pay with them works over the Visa network. Apple Cash is now also a Visa Debit card. There is nothing holding Apple back from launching Apple Cash in Europe now. It's just another virtual Visa Debit card. Exactly like the debit cards we now use with Apple Pay.

[Edit: with nothing I meant nothing on a technical level. There might be loads of contracts between Apple and banks that state they can not launch any type of bank service themselves...]

 

[mikethebigo]

Just checked mine (have had it for many years) and it still lists the network as "Discover Debit"

EDIT: Toggling it off/on and setting it up again on the iPhone updated it to Visa

 

[Coochie Boogs]

Small first steps into a much larger world. Banking is the new hotness.

 

[mikejobson]

Hopefully, the switch to Visa means it's coming to the UK!

About time I guess they pulled their finger out on that one. ?

 

[Onelifenofear]

Wonder if this is preparation for going international. Visa is much more widely used around the world I think.

Probably - I've never seen a discover card logo in Europe apart from in UK Costco.

 

[HeavenDynamic]

Hopefully it means it expanding to Europe.

 

[Onelifenofear]

Hopefully, the switch to Visa means it's coming to the UK!

About time I guess they pulled their finger out on that one. ?

It doesn't make much difference for us really - we won't get the Apple Card Perks like they do in the US as out cards are a lot more competitive. Apple Pay linked to any banks card is fine.

Apple Cash may be good to swap money with friends when that comes.

 

[mthomas184]

Just read this line in this article:

”If you currently have a Discover Apple Cash account, deactivating Apple Cash in Settings on your device and then reactivating it will generate a new Apple Cash Device Account Number on the Visa network.”

I’m definitely planning to do this but considering today is the first day of this transition, I’m definitely going to wait a week or two, maybe even do it at 3 AM just so that it doesn’t cause issues with the servers because from past experience that is always a proactive way to avoid problems and lengthy phone calls to customer service if anything does go wrong with transitioning this.

I just did mine and it took about 30 seconds and now I am on the Visa network. No issues at all.

 

[bigpoppa]

No logo, but on the settings page it still says Discover.

Mine did too. Deactivating it and reactivating it gave me a new one with the Visa logo.

 

[Apple fan from Korea]

The Apple Cash virtual debit card appears to be switching networks from Discover to Visa, as revealed in some updated images on Apple's website and noted by Twitter user @Kanjo.

Since its launch, Apple Cash (originally known as Apple Pay Cash) has been operated through a partnership with Green Dot Bank on the Discover network. Discover is one of the smaller card networks and is accepted in far fewer places than heavyweights Visa and Mastercard.

Over the past few days, several Apple Cash virtual card images on Apple's website have been swapped out for new ones displaying a Visa debit logo, and the transition to the more widely accepted network appears to be underway.

It's unclear whether Apple will be imminently transitioning existing Discover-based Apple Cash accounts to the Visa network, but in our testing it appears that new Apple Cash accounts are now being created with Visa.

If you currently have a Discover Apple Cash account, deactivating Apple Cash in Settings on your device and then reactivating it will generate a new Apple Cash Device Account Number on the Visa network.

Distinct from the Apple Card credit card, Apple Cash is similar to a debit card (though without a physical card) and allows users to easily send and receive money via Apple Pay and the Messages app. Users can keep funds stored in Apple Cash for easy access, link it to a bank account or other debit card to pull money out, or use the funds to pay off Apple Card balances. Apple Card cash back earnings are also paid out as Apple Cash.

Article Link: New Apple Cash Accounts Now Branded as Visa Cards

Now all we need is Apple Pay support in Korea?

 

[antiprotest]

Apple Cash works great

I prefer to use my Apple Cash card over my other cards for small purchases at convenient stores because the Apple Cash card never asks for signature or pin

You obviously forgo any rewards points that you would otherwise earn (with a credit card) but for purchases under $10 at a convenience store, I’d much rather the ease of not having to type in a pin or sign for it

I always make sure I have around $25 on my Apple Cash account for this very purpose and it definitely is convenient to not have to sign or enter a pin when buying something small at the gas station

If you are in the US, with the new IRS regulation, from now on if you put $600 or more into your Apple Cash account in a year, do you think you will get a 1099-K form that you will have to reconcile for tax filing? (Such as taxable payments from other people, non-taxable payments from other people, like when you split a dinner bill, non-taxable gifts from other people, and non-taxable transfer that is your own money.) That'd be a pain. And you will get a 1099-K from every payment handler that has processed $600 income for you. I have stopped accepting payments on PayPal and all other apps because of this until I understand the situation more, or until forever. I assume Apple Cash would be among payment handlers for which the new rule applies.

 

[Justin Cymbal]

I just did mine and it took about 30 seconds and now I am on the Visa network. No issues at all.

That’s wonderful that it worked out well for you

I have used computers and software long enough to know that that definitely is not always the case

That being said, my philosophy is to be prudent and wait a week or two in case there are issues, especially with most users transitioning from Discover to Visa on the same day, today.

I am in no hurry to get this done as there is literally no benefit to the transition other than it says Visa and not Discover and unless Apple forces me to get it done now, I am going to wait a week or two

 

[dbwie]

Just read this line in this article:

”If you currently have a Discover Apple Cash account, deactivating Apple Cash in Settings on your device and then reactivating it will generate a new Apple Cash Device Account Number on the Visa network.”

I’m definitely planning to do this but considering today is the first day of this transition, I’m definitely going to wait a week or two, maybe even do it at 3 AM just so that it doesn’t cause issues with the servers because from past experience that is always a proactive way to avoid problems and lengthy phone calls to customer service if anything does go wrong with transitioning this.

I just deactivated and reactivated, and it switched over to VISA debit with no problems, and the approx $30 balance I had in Apple Cash was preserved and is on the new card. I'm noticing that it does not show the VISA logo on the card, but in the settings it does say it is part of the VISA network. All of the settings still intact, e.g. appears to still be connected to my bank account.

 

[mikejobson]

It doesn't make much difference for us really - we won't get the Apple Card Perks like they do in the US as out cards are a lot more competitive. Apple Pay linked to any banks card is fine.

Apple Cash may be good to swap money with friends when that comes.

Yeah, it's more the AP Cash thing. I'm not interested in Apple Card unless they do something that beats my British Airways Amex card which I doubt.

 

[CaptMarvel]

That’s wonderful that it worked out well for you

I have used computers and software long enough to know that that definitely is not always the case

That being said, my philosophy is to be prudent and wait a week or two in case there are issues, especially with most users transitioning from Discover to Visa on the same day, today.

I am in no hurry to get this done as there is literally no benefit to the transition other than it says Visa and not Discover and unless Apple forces me to get it done now, I am going to wait a week or two

Even if you want to wait, you shouldn’t have to take any action. I noticed the change on mine almost two weeks ago. Perhaps it’s a staged/phased rollout.

 

[ryanmp]

I just deactivated and reactivated, and it switched over to VISA debit with no problems, and the approx $30 balance I had in Apple Cash was preserved and is on the new card. I'm noticing that it does not show the VISA logo on the card, but in the settings it does say it is part of the VISA network. All of the settings still intact, e.g. appears to still be connected to my bank account.

I just did mine. As with yours it worked perfectly and replicated to my other devices. Just used it a couple of mins ago to purchase a coffee at a cafe which the old discover card never worked at

I do have the visa debit logo on my card though on my iPhone

 

[jha]

Are they transitioning away from Green Dot? I had to write Tim Cook a couple years ago to resolve and issue with verifying my identity for Apple Cash. Green Dot wasted my time and was not helpful at all and had me send over a bunch of docs that were not even reviewed. Only got resolved when Apple stepped in.