Out of cash? Just pay with your Fitbit or Garmin

FNB customers can now make payments through their Visa-enabled bank cards by tapping a compatible Fitbit or Garmin watch on any contactless-enabled point-of-sale device.

The service went live on Thursday.

To make a payment‚ a customer simply would select the wallet feature on their wearable and then tap the device on a contactless point of sale‚ just as one would when paying with an enabled smartphone or contactless card.

“This latest offering complements a number of our digital solutions that enable customers to conveniently make payments without the need for carrying a physical card or cash‚” said Jason Viljoen‚ head of digital payments at FNB.

The bank said that multiple layers of security‚ such as encryption and tokenisation‚ made it one of the most secure methods to make a payment and assured customers their card details would remain private and secure‚ as they would not be shared with retailers‚ Fitbit nor Garmin.

“As a further security measure‚ whenever the Fitbit or Garmin device leaves your wrist you will be required to enter your wearable's pass code once placed back on your wrist in order to re-activate the functionality‚” the bank said in a statement.

“The device stays authenticated for 24 hours or until you take it off your wrist. In addition‚ the point-of-sale device will also prompt you to enter your card PIN for certain transactions. Both your card PIN and device pass code should never be shared with anyone‚” said Viljoen.

FNB/RMB private bank cardholders‚ who have a compatible Fitbit or Garmin device and have downloaded the Fitbit or Garmin app onto their cellphones will be able to use the service.