Fitbit has struck deals Visa, Mastercard and American Express to bring NFC payments to its new Ionic smartwatch.
The wearables pioneer says that Ionic owners in more than 10 countries will be able to add Mastercard and Visa credit and debit cards through deals with banks including ANZ, Banco Santander, Bank of America, Capital One, HSBC, OCBC, Royal Bank of Canada, UOB and US Bank.
Users load their cards to the Fitbit companion app and then tap their watch contactless terminals around the world, with the transactions secured through the Visa and Mastercard token services.
Fitbit signalled its intention to move into payments last year when it bought the wearable assets of Coin, helping it move beyond its core fitness tracking service.
Jon Oakes, VP, product management, Fitbit, says: "We’re focused on delivering the features that add that right level of utility to our users, so they can focus on reaching their health and fitness goals. Fitbit Pay lets you make payments on the go directly from your wrist with Fitbit Ionic, adding convenience to your life and the ability to leave your smartphone and wallet at home."