Samsung Confirms Galaxy S10 Will Include Private Crypto Key Storage

Samsung's latest flagship phone will include a dedicated secure storage function designed for cryptocurrency private keys.

The Galaxy S10, formally unveiled Wednesday, includes a new function targeted toward cryptocurrency users in the form of the Samsung Knox, the world's largest smartphone producer announced.

In a press release, Samsung explained:

"Galaxy S10 is built with defense-grade Samsung Knox, as well as a secure storage backed by hardware, which houses your private keys for blockchain-enabled mobile services."

The S10 comes with an upgraded camera system that features "advanced intelligence," the ability to charge other phones wirelessly, 8GB RAM and 256GB storage (on the base model) and a number of other features, according to the release.

Further details about the Knox solution were not immediately available, and Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Still, the S10 joins a slowly growing line of smartphones designed with cryptocurrencies in mind, including HTC's EXODUS 1 and Sirin Labs' Finney, both of which were announced last year. However, Samsung is the largest phone manufacturer to unveil a blockchain feature in a phone to date, and unlike either of its competitors, may see the widest distribution.

The Galaxy is Samsung's flagship line, with four different devices falling under the S10 umbrella intended to fill as wide a market as possible. In contrast, the HTC EXODUS 1 can only be bought using bitcoin or ether, and the Finney can only be purchased using the Sirin token.

Rumors that the Galaxy S10 might include a crypto wallet have been circulating since last year, though the firm did not formally confirm these until Wednesday.

Samsung image via Mahony / Shutterstock