Inter to launch payment rings and wristbands in the US

Inter’s financial technology arm is bringing contactless payment rings and wristbands to the US, Finextra reported. The launch will begin with a limited group of selected Inter customers, with a wider rollout planned later in 2026.

The products extend Inter’s existing card payments into wearable form rather than creating a separate payment account. According to Finextra, transactions made with the Inter Ring or Inter Wristband will be linked to the customer’s existing Inter credit card, use the same credit limit and due date, and appear alongside card spending on one statement.

The Inter Ring will be sold in gold, silver, rose, black and gray. The Inter Wristband, described as adjustable and intended for daily use, will be available in black, orange and white.

Both devices use passive near-field communication technology, according to Finextra. In practice, that places the payment function in a device that can be tapped at a contactless terminal without needing its own battery. Inter says the use of passive NFC also makes the products water-resistant and battery-free. Customers activate the wearable once through the Inter App.

The security model follows the structure used for contactless card payments. Finextra reported that transactions through the ring or wristband will use tokenization and encryption consistent with contactless payment standards. Tokenization replaces sensitive card details with a substitute credential for payment processing, while encryption protects data during the transaction.

If a wearable is misplaced or stolen, customers can disable or remove it through the Inter App, according to Finextra. That control is designed to separate the physical wearable from the underlying credit card account without requiring the customer to close the card itself.

Rodrigo Gouveia, Inter’s executive director of e-commerce and ecosystems, said the company wants the devices to make everyday payment experiences more efficient, including by reducing checkout time and giving customers confidence that payments are protected by industry-standard security measures.

The US launch places Inter among financial services companies testing whether payment credentials can move beyond plastic cards and mobile wallets into items worn throughout the day. For issuers, the structure can add a payment surface while preserving the economics and account management of the existing card relationship. For customers, the ring and wristband function as another way to access the same credit line, subject to the same billing cycle and statement view described by Inter.

Inter has not disclosed pricing, exact availability dates or the size of the initial customer group in the details reported by Finextra. The company’s stated timetable is a limited initial release followed by broader availability later in 2026.

This story draws on original reporting from Finextra Research.