Will the magnets in my wallet demagnetize my credit cards?

This is concern from many customers  especially ones that have bought and are interested in Swag, one of our wallets with four magnets. 

I got to say there is a little or  should I say a lot of misinformation about the situations under a magnet can demagnetize a credit card. But if think about just a little there are million of articles, wallets, purses, and money clips sold with magnets a lot of them with big magnets specially money clips.

If they were messing with the magnetic strips on credit cards nobody would be buying them yet they are sold over and over again. 

Now most newer credit cards have EMV chip and not a stripe.  This is part of a blog in creditcards.com regrading the EMV Chips.

 

Magnets and X-rays
Rest assured, your EMV chip card will withstand magnetic meddling.

“EMV cards are required to survive magnetic energy and X-rays up to a predetermined amount that is in excess of what you would normally expose the card to in the environment,” Mosteller says. “Even the magnetic stripe on these cards is hardened against magnetic energy.”  

So NOT a problem if you are carrying credit cards with chips but...

What about if you are still have the one with  a magnetic stripe? 

The magnetic stripe on hotel key cards and gift cards can be written over & over, it’s MUCH easier to de-magnetize them (by a magnetic field of 300 gauss or less)

Credit cards require a VERY  strong magnetic strength to demagnetize them, (typically ~4000 gauss),  but it is not the strength of the magnet  is the duration or exposure to the magnet.

In order for a magnet to scramble a magnetic strip, it’s pretty much going to have to come in direct contact with it. However that never happens in wallet or money clip since the the magnets are actually covered by a layer of leather and/or fabric. 

The magnets in our wallets are sewn-in and invisible with a layer of leather in between and designed not to come in contact with your cards. 

So there you have it,  you can use any wallet, money clip or purse with magnets. 

Check out Swag a Minimalist Credit Card Holder