LinkedIn’s Digital Business Cards Move Profiles Into Mobile Wallets

LinkedIn is rolling out customizable, scannable profile cards for digital wallets. The update moves LinkedIn networking into the phone wallet and adds design options the 2018 QR code lacked.

What happened

LinkedIn is rolling out a new digital business card option that lets users share their LinkedIn profile information through a scannable, customizable display.

“You can now design and personalize your LinkedIn business card to express who you are professionally, add it to your digital wallet, and easily stay connected with people you meet in person. Rolling out globally over the coming months.”

The card format was shown at LinkedIn’s “Connection by Design” showcase event last week. Images posted by Entrepreneur Magazine Editor-in-Chief Jason Fiefer show the cards include a headshot and job role description from a user’s LinkedIn profile, plus a QR code. Screenshots shared by Ishan Sharma on X show a range of design options for customizing the card.

This is not LinkedIn’s first offline connection tool. In 2018, the platform added profile QR codes for offline connection, but that earlier version did not include custom design and creation options. The previous iteration never appeared to catch on as a significant connection tool.

Key facts

• LinkedIn says users can design and personalize the card, add it to a digital wallet, and use it to stay connected with people they meet in person.
• The card includes a headshot and job role description from a user’s LinkedIn profile, plus a QR code.
• Users can customize the card with a range of design options; screenshots were posted by Ishan Sharma on X.
• The feature was previewed at LinkedIn’s “Connection by Design” showcase event last week, with images posted by Entrepreneur Magazine Editor-in-Chief Jason Fiefer.
• In 2018, LinkedIn added profile QR codes for offline connection; the new version adds custom design and creation options not available then.

Our analysis

For social media managers, creators, and brand marketers, the change matters because it moves LinkedIn connection into a phone’s wallet, making it easier to capture a new contact at conferences, trade shows, and in-person creator events. A QR code inside a wallet card is likely easier to access than opening the LinkedIn app and finding a profile QR feature, which may lower friction when someone asks “Are you on LinkedIn?”

The customization layer is the main difference from 2018. The earlier profile QR codes were functionally similar but did not offer design and creation options, and the source notes they never appeared to catch on as a significant connection tool. That suggests LinkedIn is betting that personal branding and wallet placement, rather than raw scanning utility, will drive adoption. If that works, it could turn LinkedIn from a passive profile directory into a more active in-person networking surface.

Still, the update is not guaranteed to succeed. The previous iteration’s failure suggests users need a reason to adopt another card format, especially when many event apps and paper cards already handle contact exchange. Operators should treat this as a test rather than a replacement for existing follow-up workflows.

What it means for operators

• Refresh the headline, job role description, and profile photo that will populate the card; these fields become the first impression when someone scans the QR code.
• Add the digital card to your phone wallet before events and make it part of your in-person follow-up routine, especially at conferences or brand meetups where LinkedIn is common.
• Test whether attendees actually scan the card. If scanning does not happen, pair it with a short profile link in chat or on printed materials to keep the connection path obvious.
• For teams running LinkedIn Pages, encourage speakers or founders to use the personalized card when meeting clients, creators, or partners in person, but keep a backup exchange method available.