Apple is offering Goldman Sachs an out of troubled Apple Card partnership: Report

Apple and Goldman Sachs may soon be parting ways on its Apple Card and Apple Savings account financial products, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal. Surprisingly, Apple is the one to allegedly be proposing to end the deal, which would allow Goldman to exit its current contract with the company within the next 12 to 15 months.

There have been recent rumblings that Goldman Sachs has wanted to end its consumer banking services, which the Apple Card has been a flagship product of since its launch in 2019. The banking giant, which until recently has catered exclusively to ultra-wealthy investors and businesses, has reportedly been disappointed with its move into consumer banking, which has cost the company billions.

Goldman has also had gripes with the Apple Card specifically, including being obligated to send out bills to all Apple Card members at the start of the month instead of on a rolling basis, which has manifested in customer service challenges. Goldman also reportedly feels that its Apple Card deal and its handling of Apple Card applications and services has invited unwanted regulatory scrutiny.

In the earliest months of the Apple Card rollout, it also faced criticism about apparent gender discrimination when determining a customer’s creditworthiness, which the banking giant refuted.

Given that Goldman and Apple last year renewed their Apple Card agreement until 2029, it’s a surprise that Apple is reportedly offering Goldman an early out. This could mean that Apple has already found another bank that the company believes is better suited for the Apple Card and Savings account long-term. Synchrony Financial is reportedly one of the prospects. Synchrony is the largest issuer of store credit cards in America, which means Apple would have a partnership with a bank that has a long history of consumer credit services and co-branded cards.

If the Journal’s report is correct, Goldman would unload its Apple Card deal at the end of next year or in the first months of 2025. What all this means for Apple Card customers isn’t clear, but it is unlikely that Apple has any plans to cease its Apple Card offerings, and the company has said as much in a statement provided to CNBC.

“Apple and Goldman Sachs are focused on providing an incredible experience for our customers to help them lead healthier financial lives,” an Apple spokesperson said. “The award-winning Apple Card has seen a great reception from consumers, and we will continue to innovate and deliver the best tools and services for them.”

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