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This question comes up constantly in personal finance discussions. We’ve all had that moment of panic. You wonder if a simple magnetic clasp on a purse could suddenly make your primary payment method useless. Or maybe it’s a phone case magnet that worries you. It’s a valid concern based on how older technology worked.
The reality in 2025 is far more reassuring. The technology in your wallet has evolved dramatically. Most of these worries are now a thing of the past.
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This guide will give you a definitive answer backed by science and real-world experience. We will cover:
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- The science behind how magnets can damage cards.
- Why your new chip and contactless cards are much safer.
- Which everyday magnets pose a real risk (and which don’t).
- Simple, practical steps to keep your cards safe.
- What to do if you suspect your card has been damaged.
The Science of Wiped Cards
To understand the risk, we need to look at that iconic magnetic stripe on your card’s back.
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Think of this stripe as a tiny piece of cassette tape. It’s a strip of plastic coated with millions of microscopic iron-based magnetic particles. Your account information gets written onto the stripe by arranging these tiny particles into a specific pattern. This includes your name, account number, and expiration date. Each piece of data creates a unique north-pole and south-pole arrangement.
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When you swipe your card, the reader detects this magnetic pattern. It translates the pattern back into your data and sends it to the bank for authorization.
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A magnet “wiping” a card happens through demagnetization. A strong external magnetic field scrambles the carefully arranged particles on the stripe. This effectively erases the data and makes the card unreadable to a swipe terminal.
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The key factor that determines a stripe’s vulnerability is its coercivity.
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Coercivity measures a material’s resistance to being demagnetized. Scientists measure it in units called Oersted (Oe). Higher coercivity means you need a stronger magnetic field to alter the data on the stripe.
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Credit card stripes fall into two main categories. These are Low-Coercivity (Lo-Co) and High-Coercivity (Hi-Co).
Stripe Type | Coercivity Level | Color | Resistance to Magnets | Common Use |
Lo-Co (Low-Coercivity) | Low (~300 Oersted) | Light Brown | Easily erased | Old hotel key cards, gift cards |
Hi-Co (High-Coercivity) | High (~2750-4000 Oersted) | Dark Brown/Black | Highly resistant | Modern credit/debit cards, ID cards |
In the past, some cards used Lo-Co stripes. These were indeed susceptible to damage from common household magnets. This is where the widespread fear originated.
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However, the global standard for all major credit and debit cards has been the High-Coercivity (Hi-Co) stripe for years now.
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A Hi-Co stripe requires a magnetic field of at least 2,750 Oersteds to be altered. Often it needs closer to 4,000 Oersteds. This is a significantly powerful magnetic field. It’s far stronger than what you’ll encounter in most day-to-day situations. This single technological shift is the primary reason your modern cards are so resilient.
Your Wallet's Evolution
The magnetic stripe’s resilience has improved significantly. But the biggest leap in security has come from new technologies that are completely immune to magnets.
The Vulnerable Stripe
The magnetic stripe remains the only part of your credit card that magnets can damage.
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Its fundamental weakness is that it stores static data. The information written on it doesn’t change from one transaction to the next. This makes it vulnerable to demagnetization. It also makes it susceptible to “skimming,” where criminals use fraudulent readers to copy the data and create counterfeit cards.
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Because of these vulnerabilities, the industry has moved towards more advanced payment methods. These new methods are far more secure.
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Contactless payment is often called “tap-to-pay.” It uses Near Field Communication (NFC), which is a form of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID).
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Inside your card, there’s an antenna connected to the EMV chip. When you bring your card close to a compatible reader, something interesting happens. The reader emits a low-power radio field that energizes the antenna. This allows for rapid, secure data exchange.
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Like the EMV chip, this technology is completely immune to magnets. The process relies on radio waves, not magnetic particle alignment. A magnet cannot interfere with or damage the card’s contactless functionality.
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This evolution in card technology provides multi-layered defense. The magnetic stripe still exists for backward compatibility at older terminals. But the primary and most secure methods—the chip and contactless—are invulnerable to magnetic threats.
Feature | Magnetic Stripe | EMV Chip | Contactless (NFC) |
Technology | Magnetic Particles | Microprocessor | Radio Waves (RFID) |
Affected by Magnets? | Yes (if strong enough) | No | No |
Data Storage | Static (Unencrypted) | Dynamic & Encrypted | Dynamic & Encrypted |
Primary Security Risk | Skimming, Demagnetization | Sophisticated Hacking | Interception (Rare) |
Real-World Magnet Risks
Now let’s apply this knowledge to the real world. We can categorize the magnets you encounter daily by their actual risk level to your card’s Hi-Co magnetic stripe.
Low to No Risk Magnets
The vast majority of magnets you interact with simply aren’t powerful enough to threaten your modern credit cards.
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- Refrigerator magnets: These are designed to be weak and have very shallow magnetic fields. They cannot damage your card.
- Standard purse or wallet clasps: We’ve all heard warnings about magnetic wallet clasps. The good news is that for the vast majority of these, the magnets are far too weak to damage modern Hi-Co stripes on credit cards.
- Most magnetic phone cases and mounts: While slightly stronger, these typically don’t generate fields powerful enough to affect Hi-Co stripes. The exception would be if you intentionally pressed a card directly against the magnet for a prolonged period.
- Security tag removers at checkout: These are powerful electromagnets, but they’re specifically designed with focused fields that point away from payment terminals. They’re engineered not to interfere with credit cards during checkout.Â
For these everyday items, the risk is negligible. The fear surrounding them is a holdover from the days of weaker Lo-Co stripes.
Moderate to High Risk Magnets
A few types of magnets are powerful enough to damage or erase a Hi-Co magnetic stripe. These are generally not things you encounter by accident.
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- High-powered neodymium magnets: Often called “super magnets” or “rare-earth magnets,” these are exceptionally strong for their size. You’ll find them in some high-end tech accessories, industrial equipment, scientific experiments, and hobbyist kits. These can absolutely damage a magnetic stripe on close contact.
- Industrial lifting magnets: Found in scrap yards and manufacturing facilities, these are designed to lift tons of metal. They will instantly wipe a credit card.
- Hard drive magnets: The magnets inside old computer hard disk drives are powerful neodymium magnets. If you’re disassembling old electronics, keep your wallet away.
- MRI machines: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine is one of the most powerful magnets you could ever encounter. It will certainly and instantly destroy the magnetic stripe on any card. Medical facilities always have strict protocols for removing all metallic and magnetic items before a scan.Â
The key takeaway is important. The magnets with enough power to harm your card are typically specialized, industrial, or high-end hobbyist items. They’re not common consumer products.
Your Risk Assessment Matrix
To make it simple, here’s a clear breakdown of the risk posed by common magnetic sources.
Magnetic Source | Risk to Magnetic Stripe | Risk to Chip / Contactless | Action Required |
Fridge Magnet | Extremely Low | None | None |
Purse/Wallet Clasp | Very Low | None | Generally None; avoid prolonged direct contact if concerned. |
Magnetic Phone Mount/Case | Low | None | Keep card in a separate wallet slot, not directly against the magnet. |
Hard Drive Magnet | Moderate to High | None | Keep cards away. |
Neodymium “Super” Magnet | High | None | Keep cards far away. |
MRI Machine | Certain Damage | None | Follow all medical facility instructions; remove all cards. |
How to Protect Your Cards
The risk of magnetic damage is low. But practicing good card hygiene is always smart. These simple steps will ensure your cards remain in perfect working order.
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- Don’t Stack Your Cards
- Avoid storing cards stacked directly on top of each other with their magnetic stripes touching. Over a long period, one stripe’s magnetic field can have a very slight weakening effect on the stripe next to it. While this is a minor issue, it’s easy to avoid.Â
- Use Your Wallet’s Sleeves
- The individual card sleeves in your wallet are there for a reason. Keeping each card in its own slot is the easiest way to prevent stripe-on-stripe contact. This also protects them from physical scratches, which can be just as damaging as a magnet.Â
- If your job or hobby involves handling powerful neodymium magnets, take extra precautions. Don’t carry your wallet in the same pocket as these magnets. Designate a safe place for your wallet, away from your work area, to prevent accidental contact.Â
- Consider a Shielded Wallet (Optional)
- You may have seen RFID-blocking wallets or sleeves for sale. Their primary purpose is to block radio signals used by contactless cards. This prevents a rare type of digital theft called “RFID skimming.” They’re not specifically designed for magnetic protection. However, the metallic material used for RFID blocking can provide a physical barrier that may slightly diffuse external magnetic fields. This is an optional, extra-cautious step, not a necessity for magnetic protection.Â
- Embrace the Chip and Tap
- The best defense against magnetic stripe failure is to use it as little as possible. Whenever you have the option, insert your card to use the EMV chip or use the tap-to-pay feature. These methods are more secure and completely unaffected by magnets. By making this your default payment habit, the integrity of your magnetic stripe becomes far less critical.Â
Troubleshooting a Faulty Card
You’re at checkout and your card swipe is repeatedly declined. Don’t immediately assume a magnet is the culprit. Physical damage is a far more common cause of failure.
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A card’s magnetic stripe can get scratched. The contacts on an EMV chip can become dirty. Before you call the bank, run through these simple troubleshooting steps.
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Step 1: Clean the Card
Often, the problem is simple grime. Use a soft, lint-free cloth (like a microfiber cloth for cleaning eyeglasses) to gently wipe both the magnetic stripe and the gold EMV chip contacts. A pencil eraser can also gently clean corrosion off the chip contacts.
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Step 2: Try the Chip First
If a swipe fails, your next move should always be to insert the card and use the EMV chip. If the chip transaction works, you know the card itself is still active and functional. This likely means the magnetic stripe has been damaged or demagnetized. But the card remains usable at the vast majority of modern terminals.
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Step 3: Try a Different Terminal
Sometimes, the problem isn’t your card at all. It’s the retailer’s card reader. Point-of-sale terminals see heavy use and can malfunction. If your card fails at one store, try it again at another location before concluding the card is broken.
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Step 4: If All Else Fails, Contact Your Bank
Neither the swipe, chip, nor contactless functions work across multiple terminals? It’s time to get a replacement. This is a simple and painless process. Call the customer service number on the back of your card and report the issue. Your bank will deactivate the faulty card and mail you a new one. This is usually free and arrives within a few business days. Don’t hesitate to call that number on your card’s back.
Conclusion: Card Confidence
The fear of a common magnet wiping your credit card is largely a relic of the past. While it’s technically possible for a very strong magnet to damage the magnetic stripe, the technology in your wallet has made this increasingly rare.
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Your modern credit and debit cards are built to be resilient. The systems that secure them are more advanced than ever.
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Let’s recap the essential points:
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- Modern cards are highly resistant to magnets thanks to High-Coercivity (Hi-Co) stripes. They’re immune via their EMV chips and contactless technology.
- Everyday magnets found on refrigerators, purses, and phone cases don’t pose a significant threat to your cards.
- The best protection is to use the most secure payment methods available: inserting the chip or using tap-to-pay.Â
You can handle your cards with common sense, not with fear. Understanding the technology and knowing which few risks are real allows you to use your cards with confidence. Can credit cards go near magnets? In most cases, yes—they’re both safe and reliable.
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