Cash App launches $25 NFC magic wand for contactless payments
5 verified4 unconfirmed1 contested
Cash App has introduced the Cash App Wand, a $25 NFC-enabled device that allows users to make tap-to-pay purchases without a phone or physical card. The wand links to a registered Cash App Card and works wherever Visa tap-to-pay is accepted. It marks the first in a series of planned Cash App Tags, described as small, battery-free hardware tokens designed for payments and other potential uses. The wand is a limited release, with the company planning additional shapes and sizes in the coming weeks and months. Cash App says it is intended to make transactions more visible and social, contrasting with the quiet nature of digital payments. The product is available now, while supplies last, to eligible customers ages 13 and up. Both sources note that the wand builds on a broader trend of users attaching payment cards to homemade objects like wands.
What’s verified
The Cash App Wand is an NFC-enabled device that pairs with an existing Cash App Card and works via tap-to-pay.
It costs $25 and is available from Cash App while supplies last.
The wand is the first product in a planned series called Cash App Tags, with additional designs expected in the coming weeks or later this summer.
The device can be attached to a keychain and works without Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Cash App is operated by Block (formerly Square).
Where accounts differ
One source states that the Cash App Wand’s idea was not inspired by existing social-media videos of people making homemade payment wands, but was developed internally over the past nine to 12 months. Another source reports that the wand “plays on a popular DIY trend” already circulating on social media platforms.
Not yet confirmed
The specific number of wands produced: one source reports roughly 10,000 units; the other does not give a number.
Exactly which age groups are eligible: one source says eligible customers ages 13 and up; the other does not mention an age requirement.
Details about Block’s recent layoffs and office morale appear in only one source.
Information about the wand being declined in one early test due to setup issues is from a single source.
Key figures
Thomas Templeton, Block’s hardware lead
Jack Dorsey, CEO of Block (mentioned in one source)
Sources: Wired, The Verge
