Block’s Cash App has introduced a new payment device called Cash App Wand, a $25 NFC keychain tied to the Cash App Card. The star-shaped accessory lets users pay by tapping any terminal that supports Visa contactless payments. It went on sale on June 4, and is available to Cash App Card holders through the app.
A payment device built to be seen
The Cash App Wand features a pearlescent shell and measures about 4.29 inches long and 1.71 inches at its widest point. It is the first product in the new Cash App Tags hardware line. Block is not pitching it as a faster payment tool so much as a more noticeable one. The company is aiming at settings like concerts and sports venues, where pulling out a phone or physical card can be inconvenient.
The security setup is fairly direct. Each transaction triggers a real-time alert on the linked phone, and if the keychain is lost, users can lock or disable it inside the Cash App without contacting customer support.
Block wants payments to feel social
Thomas Templeton, Block’s hardware lead, said the company saw an opening to make payments “visible” and “social” for the first time. He said early testers enjoyed carrying the wand and showing it off at checkout, which the company reads as proof of demand for this kind of product.
Block is also looking beyond keychains. Templeton said the broader idea is to put payment chips into many kinds of objects, with health-tracking bands and baseball caps named as possible future Cash App Tags formats.
A youth push as growth comes under pressure
The launch also comes as Cash App faces questions about growth. Since its 2013 debut, the app built traction through a simple payment experience and broad cultural adoption. But Bloomberg reported that weaknesses in customer screening and fraud controls led to a $15 million class-action settlement in 2024 and a $175 million settlement with the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2025. Block later carried out large-scale remediation, compensated affected users, and removed ineligible accounts, a process that weighed on user numbers.
That pressure has pushed Cash App toward a younger audience. The company says 1 in 5 U.S. teens has a customizable Cash App card. It launched teen accounts in 2021 and this year expanded with parent-managed debit cards for children aged 6 to 12. Cash App Wand is the hardware expression of that strategy.
Utility or just a social-media prop
The idea did not appear out of nowhere. Plastic “wands” that hold physical credit cards have already gained attention on social media, with users showing them off in places ranging from grocery stores to Disney parks. Cash App’s version builds the chip directly into the accessory and pairs that with a polished design and a $25 price point.
What remains unclear is whether that novelty can turn into lasting use. Contactless payments are already fast and simple, so the market will decide whether an extra payment object becomes a habit or stays a visual gimmick.