bPay, the wearable technology arm of Barclaycard, has partnered with seven watch brands to bring wearable payments to designer watches.
Having linked with Timex, GUESS Watches, Mondaine, Kronaby, Suunto, ADEXE, and LBS, the new products are set to launched by bPay at Baselworld on the 22-27 March.
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Contactless payments are still on the rise in the UK. According to Barclaycard’s Contactless Spending Index spending via bPay jumped 129% in 2017.
bPay has already launched a line of various contactless wearable payment devices including jewellery, phone cases and keychains, as well as various watches under Timex.
Adam Herson, Business Development Director, Barclays Mobile Payments, said: “Consumer appetite for wearable payments is reaching critical mass, and we’re proud to be meeting this growing demand with the help of our industry-leading partners. Thanks to the range of products these agreements will bring to market, customers will be able to buy a watch or fitness tracker that not only suits their taste, but also unlocks benefits of speed and ease in everyday purchases.
“Whether buying a bottle of water when out for a run, or a newspaper on an afternoon stroll around the city, today’s shoppers are looking for ‘built-in’, seamless payment experiences. Our game-changing, flexible bPay chip means we can transform any traditional timepiece into a smart device – without sacrificing style.”
Paul Martin, Managing Director, Sequel UK GUESS Watches said: “We are really excited about this collaboration and this will bring another dimension to our range of products, where fashion meets lifestyle functionality.”
