Contactless payments: Intesa Sanpaolo launches payment bracelet with Mastercard

Intesa Sanpaolo is the first bank in Italy to offer its customers a Payment Bracelet, i.e. a wristband for contactless payments.

The new wearable, realised in partnership with Tapster, can be connected to all Intesa Sanpaolo Mastercard cards and joins the Payment Ring made available since last year.

Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's leader in digital payments, confirms its focus on customers demanding quick and easy solutions, with the aim of making digital payments increasingly popular, accessible and inclusive.

Made of environmentally-friendly, water-resistant materials, the bracelet integrates an NFC chip and antenna. Making payments does not require an internet connection or a battery charge: simply place your wrist on a payment terminal where contactless payments are accepted.

Data from the recent Polytechnic University of Milan Innovative Payments Observatory confirms the sustained growth of wallet and wearable payments in 2024: €19.9 billion worth of transactions in the first half of 2024, +58% vs first half of 2023, with a steadily decreasing average transaction value, reflecting the well-established habit of using innovative payments in everyday life. 

Foto credits: courtesy Tapster