With Apple Pay's launch likely just days or perhaps weeks away, "card tech" startup Plastc today announced its plans for its new digital wallet, replacing credit cards, debit cards, RFID access cards, gift cards and more. On paper, Plastc promises to go above and beyond competitor Coin, offering an expanded set of features that are better optimized for today's new wireless mobile payment future.

remote_security_card
The Plastc card allows users to store up to 20 cards or barcodes on its internal flash memory and ships with a companion iOS Wallet app that lets users manage the card. Plastc looks like a standard 0.8-millimeter-thick credit card, but it features an eInk touchscreen display for selecting stored content, Bluetooth to connect to an iPhone, rewritable RFID, and support for payment technologies such as magnetic stripes, NFC, and EMV chip and PIN. It also includes wireless induction charging and a remote wipe feature that lets users erase the card in case of theft or loss.

Though its feature set is impressive, Plastc will be competing with the upcoming Apple Pay, which is scheduled to launch this month with broad industry support. Apple has worked on Apple Pay with all three major credit card companies, several major banks, and a variety of retail partners such as Macy's, Walgreens, McDonald's, Whole Foods, Disney and others.

plastc-card
Despite this competitive threat, Plastc COO Ryan Marquis told The Verge that he is optimistic about the company's future.

"Ultimately a cloud-based digital wallet will be the winner," says Marquis, "but with our technology, we can allow consumers to build a digital wallet using a form factor that they’re used to today." Marquis says there are still many use cases where we need physical cards like subway ticketing machines, ATMs, and gas pumps. "I will utilize Apple Pay because it’s simple and easy, but there are so many use cases in our world where I’m still going to need a physical card," he says. "There are so many things that point-of-sale machines just aren’t ready for yet."

Similar to Coin which was announced last year and has yet to ship, Plastc is available now only for pre-order. The card costs $155 and is expected to ship next summer.

Top Rated Comments

Zxxv Avatar
141 months ago
It has to be free. Sell it to banks not end users.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gleepskip Avatar
141 months ago
I suppose this could help in filling the gap while we wait for Apple Pay ubiquity, but Plastic's future will be short-lived.

Edit: It's too bad because, a few years ago, a cool card like this would have been drool-worthy.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DTphonehome Avatar
141 months ago
It's going to be a very long time before NFC-based readers are ubiquitous enough to replace standard magnetic stripe and chip-based credit card readers. This product definitely has a use for the foreseeable future. However, the $155 price tag seems a bit steep.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
r-m Avatar
141 months ago
This is way better than Apple Pay. Especially in the UK.
Looks like this card works with chip n pin, and nfc. Whilst apple pay has it's slow rollout, this card can already be used in many many place and works just like I want out of an all-in-one solution!
Apple pay's current plans won't match this for me. Again, especially in the UK.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sailmac Avatar
141 months ago
Developed mild interest as I read along. Then got to the $155 price and felt the whole thing deflate like a cartoon balloon.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
techwhiz Avatar
141 months ago
The reason why it is sold to consumers is banks turned down the concept of programmable credit cards over ten years ago. I see this as a loser for several reasons.

1) Confiscations. It now becomes now a technical effort instead of the classic "grab and cut" in front of the customer that has been around since the 70's.
Never seen it and this is not really relavent.


2) ID theft. This makes credit card cloning way too easy.
How so? It's no different than now.


3) Loss. You loose this card and you loose multiple credit cards at once.
Like losing your wallet???

4) Data integrity. Since it is programmable, what are the chances of data corruption in the Flash memory inside the card? What about card bending, static electricity, humidity and electromagnetic interference? The simple mangetic strip card has been around for almost fourty years because it passes all these stress tests.
Flash corruption? Flash can/does have ECC.
Static electricity? Not a problem as long as you design for ESD resistance.
Humidity? Hermetically seal it. There are no user serviceable parts inside.

None of what you outline has to be an issue in a well thought out design.

5) Replacement. Here the cost is higher. Most banks will send you a new credit card overnight just so you can keep on spending. This company? What is their replacement policy?
You lose it, you pay to replace. It's not like a plastic slab with a magnetic strip that costs all of $.30 to produce.

6) Branding. Banks love to have custom and colorful artwork on their cards. This card reduces the corporate image of the company to an ePaper gray scale display.
And? What's that got to do with my wallet?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Foldable iPhone Display Production Begins Ahead of Launch Next Year

Wednesday July 9, 2025 10:59 pm PDT by
Production of foldable OLED displays for Apple's first foldable iPhone have begun ahead of its expected launch next year, Korea's ETNews reports. The first foldable iPhone's displays are being produced by Samsung Display, who are establishing a production line dedicated to the upcoming Apple device its A3 factory in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do. The production line will make displays exclusively...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...