Payments by magic wand?

How do you make it fun to pay for stuff? One way is to create a new form factor. That's what the payments company Block is doing with the release of a limited edition Cash App Wand. It's an NFC-enabled device that consumers can tap against or wave close by a payments terminal.

Designed with the preferences of Gen Z in mind, the pearlescent wand can be ordered through the app for $25, while supplies last. It comes equipped with a keychain, so customers can clip, wear or carry it with ease.

Block said the wand is the first of a new line of payment tags built for on-the-go consumers. They are designed for situations where phones are not allowed or are too cumbersome to pull out of a backpack or purse, for example, when paying for food at a phone-free venue or purchasing merch at a music festival.

"While digital wallets are invisible and physical cards are often buried in wallets, Cash App Tags are just the opposite," said Thomas Templeton, hardware lead at Block. "We see a unique opportunity here to make payments visible and social for the first time. Early testers have told us that they've loved carrying the wand and showing it off at checkout, so we believe there's a real appetite for this among our customers.

Block estimates that one in five American teens already have a customizable Cash App Card, and it is the most popular debit card among this audience, according to a 2025 Morning Consult survey. Teens are using the Cash App card for self expression by choosing exclusive styles, stamps, emojis and even drawing their own designs.

Appealing to collectibles crowd

A recent Cash App survey of Gen Z consumers found that 38 percent purchase collectibles, accessories or limited edition items at least monthly, and that's more than any other generation, the company said. "Cash App Tags meet the moment by turning the point of sale into an eye-catching extension of customers' personal style," the company stated in a press release.

The wand is the first of many tags Block plans to introduce throughout the summer. "We see this as an early starting point for Cash App Tags. The number of form factors we can create is nearly limitless," Templeton insisted. "From clothing to jewelry, almost any item can become a way to pay with this technology.

Consumers who want one of these tags must first have a Cash App Card. They can activate a tag through an app on their phone. Once it is activated the tag can be used wherever Visa tap-to-pay is accepted.

Block emphasized that Cash App Tags have built-in security features, including real-time transaction alerts, 24/7 fraud monitoring, and the ability to instantly lock and unlock a tag from within the app. Customers can also deactivate a Cash App Tag at any time, the company said.

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