Industry Update: Pay on the Go with VISA Through Your Fitbit Ionic
Mobile phones aren’t the only devices offering on-the-go payment anymore, Fitbit has gotten in on the action with the new Fitbit Ionic, and VISA has just enabled payments through it! The Fitbit Ionic is Fitbit’s first smartwatch, and in an effort to appeal to those who prefer cashless payments Fitbit has ingrained NFC technology into it, creating a much simpler transaction for all users.
Payments will be made through Fitbit Pay, their new payment function, and users can attach their VISA debit or credit cards by loading them onto the Fitbit companion app. Transactions will happen in the same manner as traditional NFC payments, with the wearer simply holding their watch within a few inches of a NFC-enabled terminal.
As the use of mobile and contactless payments grows, many companies are adapting their technology to include this too. Many customers that use wearable devices say that adding a payment element would eliminate buying friction. Studies also show that this group buys more, since they prefer non-cash payments. VISA and Fitbit are both using this opportunity to help move the future of payments towards a safer, cashless-based identity.
Many customers say their top priorities are security and ease, and the Fitbit Ionic encompasses both of these traits. Users don’t even have to take out a card when paying, which helps with issues like misplacement, since the Fitbit Ionic is attached to your wrist. Paying couldn’t be simpler when all it takes is for customers to hold up their wrist to the terminal. Using NFC payment also aids in security, as it is just as safe as a chipped card, and protected even more so than unchipped cards.
