Investing in an RFID wallet is one of the best ways to protect yourself from skimming scams while traveling.
All Locals Insider some writers who love these top travel gadgets also go around with RFID wallets. They’re technologically advanced, available in various materials, and compact enough to fit in your daypack or pocket without issue.
These smart wallets protect your passport and bank cards, which you can’t afford to lose while on the move.
After speaking to the Locals Insider team about their choice of RFID wallets, we’ve assembled a list of our recommendations for 2025 below:
Wallet | Price | Recommendation |
Ridge’s MagSafe Carbon Fiber Wallet | $175.00 | Best for MagSafe compatibility |
Identity Stronghold’s Blocking Leather Passport Wallet | $34.99 | Best leather RFID wallet for travelers |
Secrid’s Premium RFID mini wallet | $155.00 | Best Italian leather mini RFID wallet |
Ekster’s Cardholder Pro | $99.00 | Best slimline RFID wallet |
Vaultskin’s MAYFAIR Zipper Wallet | $59.99 | Best zipper-style RFID wallet |
allet’s Nylon RFID Wallet | $48.00 | Best nylon RFID wallet |
Bellroy’s Jet Set | $159.00 | Best RFID wallet for all travel essentials |
Read on for the details on how each of our top-recommended RFID wallets shapes up.
What is RFID & how does it work?
An RFID wallet protects your credit cards with an electromagnetic shield. Some thieves use portable card readers to brush up against you and empty your bank account. If you don’t have an RFID wallet, there’s a chance that they can steal your card details and access your account.
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. It enables machines to read signals from RFID chips implanted in credit and debit cards and passports. It’s essential for contactless payments, which are processed worldwide.
RFID wallets form a shield around your cards, protecting you from a skimming attack, in which a thief uses a device to get your information. Most RFID wallets have a special shield, sometimes made from carbon fiber or aluminum, to protect you from these attacks.
Do you need an RFID wallet?
RFID skimming attacks pose a real threat, particularly to travelers who frequent bus and train stations and airports, where many such attacks occur.
If you don’t want to buy an RFID wallet, you can make one yourself. One of our writers experimented with tin foil in their wallet and thinks it works well – but the jury is still out!
TOP RFID Wallets
To make your life easier, you can consider investing in one of these super affordable and trendy RFID wallets that will protect your cards and passport as you travel:
MagSafe Carbon Fiber Wallet | Ridge
Best for MagSafe compatibility
- Price: $175.00
Ridge wallets are trendy, innovative, and minimalist. But they also offer top-of-the-range security. This high-end wallet features an RFID shield that protects you from skimming attacks and is made from 3K woven carbon fiber.
This wallet is also MagSafe enabled, so you can easily attach it to your iPhone. This makes it super compact and essentially an addition to your phone rather than a standalone wallet.
When you order directly from Ridge, you receive a 99-day risk-free trial and a lifetime warranty. For US-based buyers, free shipping and returns are also available.
Blocking Leather Passport Wallet | Identity Stronghold
Best leather RFID wallet for travelers
- Price: $34.99
If you’re looking for a robust, leather wallet that offers RFID protection to your passport and cards, this option from Identity Stronghold is worth considering.
It’s one of our top picks at under $50 and is available in red, black, blue, or brown. In the back, there’s enough space for a standard-issue passport, four cards, a national ID, and cash.
There are also two hidden pockets for cash, photos, or other items you might need on the road. If you order from Identity Stronghold directly and not their Amazon store, you will receive a 90-day money-back guarantee should you wish to return the wallet.
Premium RFID Mini Wallet | Secrid
Best Italian leather RFID mini wallet
- Price: $155.00
This premium Italian leather mini wallet from Secrid protects six cards and has sufficient space for cash.
We like that you can order add-ons from Secrid, including a transparent coin pocket, which is handy if you want to carry change.
These wallets are Dutch-made and built using sustainable environmental practices, making them a solid choice if you’re in the market for an eco-friendly RFID wallet.
Cardholder Pro | Ekster
Best slimline RFID wallet
- Price: $99.00
We love Ekster’s range of sleek leather RFID wallets and recommend this one if you’re looking for a super compact option. Self-described as “the world’s slimmest smart wallet,” the Ekster Cardholder Pro holds up to 14 cards or bills.
You can add a tracker to this wallet for $29 to find it if it is stolen, and there’s also a cash clip add-on, which is a handy option if you regularly carry cash.
Order the Ekster Cardholder Pro today directly from the online store for free delivery and a lifetime warranty.
MAYFAIR Zipper Wallet | Vaultskin
Best zipper-style RFID wallet
- Price: $59.99
While most of the options on this list have been slim card wallets, this zipper wallet from Vaultskin is slightly different. It has two central compartments for cards and cash, with complete RFID protection.
If you’re not sold on the zipper design, the CITY Wallet is more like the others introduced above, or the MANHATTAN bifold RFID leather wallet features a slim and contemporary design.
Vaultskin wallets are made to extremely high standards, as shown by their excellent online reviews, so the MAYFAIR Zipper Wallet is a solid investment at this price point.
Nylon RFID Wallet | allett
Best nylon RFID wallet
- Price: $48.00
This patented, slim, and highly durable wallet is a viable option for travelers not looking for a leather wallet. Made from nylon, it’s a weatherproof wallet well-suited to outdoor adventurers.
The unique design provides space for four cards with additional pockets for bills and receipts. Numerous colors are available, ranging from indigo blue to mulberry red.
Though it’s not as classy as a sleek leather wallet, this nylon option is durable and well-suited to backpackers who are likely to spend lots of time in the great outdoors.
Jet Set | Bellroy
Best RFID wallet for all travel essentials
- Price: $159
Bellroy is known for its outstanding-quality leather travel wallets and accessories. We love the Jet Set bundle, which includes a high-quality card and passport wallet for travel alongside a toiletry bag for your travel essentials.
The unique design of the travel wallet allows you to slip your passport inside the cover while providing space for all your debit and credit cards and bills.
Be sure to look at Bellroy’s other travel kit, including the Travel Folio, which offers RFID protection to two passports and has space for your boarding passes and other documents.
Protect yourself from scams with an RFID wallet
Buying an RFID wallet is an affordable and easy way to protect yourself from skimming scams at airports, bus stops, and other travel hubs populated by people on the move.
It’s a bit like a pickpocketing attack; you never know about such a scam until it’s too late. So, equip yourself with one of the smart RFID wallets introduced above and keep your passport and cards safe in 2025.