PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1808809
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1808809
Wearable payments involve the use of contactless payment technology embedded in wearable devices, such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, or other connected accessories. These devices enable users to securely link their payment information and make transactions at point-of-sale terminals without relying on traditional methods such as credit cards or cash. Wearable payments offer convenience, speed, and enhanced security for transactions across various retail and service environments.
The primary devices used for wearable payments include smartwatches, fitness trackers, payment wristbands, and smart rings. Smartwatches, in particular, combine traditional wristwatch functionality with advanced features such as fitness tracking, notifications, and electronic payment capabilities. Technologies supporting wearable payments include barcodes, contactless point-of-sale (POS) terminals, near-field communication (NFC), quick response (QR) codes, and radio frequency identification (RFID). These technologies are applied in various contexts such as festivals and life events, fitness and healthcare, retail, transportation, and more.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The sharp rise in U.S. tariffs and the ensuing trade tensions in spring 2025 are having a considerable impact on the financial sector, particularly in the areas of investment strategies and risk management. The increased tariffs have intensified market volatility, leading institutional investors to adopt more cautious approaches and driving greater demand for hedging solutions. Banks and asset managers are encountering higher costs in cross-border transactions as disrupted global supply chains and declining corporate earnings weigh on equity market performance. At the same time, insurance providers are facing elevated claims risks linked to supply chain interruptions and trade-related business losses. Furthermore, reduced consumer spending and weaker export demand are limiting credit growth and dampening investment appetite. In response to these challenges, the sector must focus on diversification, accelerate digital transformation, and strengthen scenario planning to manage the heightened economic uncertainty and safeguard profitability.
The wearable payments market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides wearable payments market statistics, including wearable payments industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a wearable payments market share, detailed wearable payments market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the wearable payments industry. This wearable payments market research report delivers a complete perspective on everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.
The wearable payments market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $67.2 billion in 2024 to $79.59 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to the rise of contactless payment technology, the adoption of smartwatches and fitness trackers, integration with mobile payment platforms, regulatory support for digital payments, and advancements in biometric authentication.
The wearable payments market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $157.28 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to advancements in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) payment experiences, increased integration with smart home devices, expansion of wearable ecosystems with third-party apps, adoption of voice-activated payments, advancements in blockchain technology for secure transactions. Major trends in the forecast period include integration of artificial intelligence for personalized payment experiences, growth in wearable health monitoring for payment functionalities, expansion of wearable payments in emerging markets, adoption of 5G technology for faster and more reliable transactions, development of wearable payment wearables for contactless payments.
The forecast of 18.6% growth over the next five years reflects a slight reduction of 0.1% from the previous projection. This reduction is primarily due to the impact of tariffs between the US and other countries. This is likely to directly affect the US through slower adoption of contactless payment wearables, as near-field communication chips and miniaturized payment hardware components, primarily sourced from Taiwan and South Korea, become more expensive to procure due to increased import duties on electronic components. The effect will also be felt more widely due to reciprocal tariffs and the negative effect on the global economy and trade due to increased trade tensions and restrictions.
The growth of cashless transactions is expected to drive the expansion of the wearable payments market. Cashless transactions refer to payments made without using physical currency, typically via electronic methods such as cards, mobile wallets, or online transfers. The rise in cashless transactions is fueled by factors like convenience, enhanced security, technological advancements in payment systems, and a shift in consumer preferences toward digital and contactless payment options. Wearable payments support cashless transactions by allowing users to make payments easily and securely through devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers, seamlessly integrating payment capabilities into everyday activities. For example, in September 2023, UK Finance, a UK-based financial service company, reported that in 2022, there were 4.1 billion credit card payments, an increase from 3.4 billion payments in 2021. Therefore, the rise in cashless transactions is driving the growth of the wearable payments market.
Leading companies in the wearable payments market are introducing innovative solutions, such as silicon wristbands, to offer consumers more convenient and secure payment options. A silicon wristband is a flexible band made from silicone rubber, often used as an accessory or to house electronic components. For instance, in May 2024, Sampath Bank, a Sri Lankan commercial bank, launched Sampath PayBand, Sri Lanka's first wearable payment device designed for seamless and secure transactions. This silicon wristband, embedded with a payment chip, integrates directly with Sampath Bank savings accounts, allowing users to make payments effortlessly with a tap at any near field communication (NFC)-enabled Point of Sale (POS) terminal, eliminating the need for wallets, cards, or phones.
In October 2022, Curve OS Limited, a UK-based fintech company, formed a partnership with Fidesmo. The collaboration is designed to allow Curve digital wallet users across Europe to add multiple payment cards to wearable NFC devices, enabling smooth contactless payments. Through this partnership with Fidesmo, the goal is to extend wearable payment technologies to over 400 million consumers in the European Economic Area. Fidesmo AB is a Sweden-based technology company that specializes in wearable payment solutions.
Major companies operating in the wearable payments market are Samsung Group, American Express Company, Xiaomi Corporation, Visa Inc., PayPal Holdings Inc., Mastercard Incorporated, Thales Group, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Garmin Ltd., Timex Group, Ingenico Group, Fitbit Inc., Polar Electro Oy, Suunto Inc., Kerv Wearables, Nymi Inc., Zwipe AS, Netclearance Systems Inc., Tappy Technologies Limited, Fidesmo AB, Wirecard AG
North America was the largest region in the wearable payments market in 2024. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the wearable payments market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the wearable payments market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The wearable payments market consists of sales of payment-enabled keychains, smart eyewear, smart jewelry, and smart gloves. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Wearable Payments Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on wearable payments market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for wearable payments ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The wearable payments market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.