Singaporean transit and payment card issuer EZ-Link has launched a new line of wearables embedding payment functionality into fitness and health trackers from Watchdata and Garmin.
Both smart devices have been configures to carry the EZ-Link Cepas purse for contactless payments on public transit and at more than 30,000 EZ-Link acceptance points island-wide. Watchdata's Batman v Superman fitness tracker - co-developed with EZ-Link - retails for S$42.50, while Garmin's vivosmart carries a S$259 price tag.
Last year, Garmin integrated a similar contactless chip into the vívosmart HR band in Taiwan which lets users pay for train rides, bus trips and retail purchases via the I-Pass electronic wallet stored within the chip.
Al Sundoro, general manager, Garmin South Asia, says: "This collaboration with EZ-Link puts Singapore on the road map as the first country in South-east Asia to offer a contactless payment solution where you can pay for public transport rides with a tap of your wearable on your wrist. Integrating the latest smarts, such as innovative payment solutions, into our wearable devices is one of the key pillars of our ongoing efforts to help consumers experience new ways of convenience in their daily life."