Barclays partners seven watch brands for contactless timepieces

 

Barclays has teamed up with seven watch makers, including Guess and Timex, to bring its bPay wearable contactless payments technology to the masses.

Guess Watches, Mondaine, Timex, Kronaby, Suunto, Adexe and LBS have all agreed to embed the bPay chip into a host of devices, from traditional timepieces to fitness trackers.

Building on last year’s Fairfield Contactless watch, Timex will roll out eight bPay-enabled pieces in May, while Guess is working on a six watch strong range. LBS will introduce a contactless strap that can be fitted to any watch.

Barclays says that wearable payments are surging in popularity, with spending via bPay jumping 129% year-on-year in 2017.

Adam Herson, director, business development, Barclays Mobile Payments, says: “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.”