Barclays partners seven watch brands for contactless timepieces

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.”