Credit cards took decades to replace cash. Mobile phones shortened that path by transforming payment into an action of a few seconds. Now, the financial industry is beginning to take a step further: making the act of paying almost imperceptible.
The rise of contactless payments has paved the way for the incorporation of banking services into everyday objects. In this scenario, rings, bracelets, and watches cease to be mere accessories and begin to function as financial devices capable of performing various transactions.
It is in this very promising territory that Inter has just established itself. The bank has launched its own line of wearables with the aim of bringing financial functionalities beyond cell phone screens and bringing technology closer to people's real lives.
The launch initially includes two products: the Inter Ring smart ring and the Inter Wristband adjustable bracelet. In the coming months, the line will be expanded with the Inter Watch, adding watches to the portfolio.
According to Inter, the goal is to simplify the user journey. The accessories use NFC technology, which allows the exchange of information between two devices when they are brought close together. After activation in the bank's Super App, simply link them to the card for them to work with contactless payments.
“Wearables represent a characteristic that is in Inter's DNA, which is to innovate to simplify people's lives with technology, convenience, and security,” says Rodrigo Gouveia, Executive Director of Commerce and Ecosystems at Inter. “With the new devices, we want to make every experience more efficient, whether through the convenience that saves time or the security that brings peace of mind.”
In the first phase of the project, the devices work with Inter credit cards issued in Brazil and with Global Account credit cards aimed at Brazilian residents.
The system maintains a unified limit and the same payment date, allowing purchases made with the physical card, virtual card, or wearable device to appear itemized on a single bill – a detail designed to simplify expense control. "We know that convenience is a lifestyle that makes a real difference in people's lives," says Gouveia.
Security received special attention in the project. Transactions use tokenization and encryption, following contactless payment protocols. Depending on the operation, the system may require a password. In case of loss or theft, the wearable can be blocked directly through the Super App, without needing to cancel the main card.
Inter has also incorporated a three-factor authentication model, 3FA, into its devices, initially aimed at Pix transactions outside of the customer's usual behavior, such as high-value transfers or those made in locations different from their usual destinations. In a later stage, the bank plans to extend the functionality to investment redemptions.
Wearables were designed to go beyond payments. In environments compatible with MIFARE technology – a standard widely used in electronic access control – they can function as a digital key, provided the user has system administrator privileges.
One of the first applications already being implemented is access to Inter's VIP lounges at airports. The bank is also evaluating integrations with hotels and car rental companies and is studying the use of the accessories at games and concerts, always contingent on commercial partnership, customer authorization, and technical validation.
The accessories are already available in the Inter Shop, within the Super App, and should arrive at select physical locations in the coming weeks. The bank has set different prices according to the finish and material of the devices.
The ceramic Inter Ring, available in pink, black, and gray, costs R$ 465, while the metallic versions, in gold and silver, are priced at R$ 485. The Inter Wristband will be sold for R$ 349.
For rings, one of the main challenges is often choosing the correct size. To overcome this obstacle, Inter offers three options: a digital ring sizer available in the app, free delivery of a physical sizer to your home – followed by dispatch of the ring after confirmation of the size via WhatsApp – or in-person measurement at selected locations.
Among them are the Inter Café locations ( more details at this link ) in Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, and Curitiba, and the VIP lounges at the Guarulhos, Curitiba, Confins, and Fortaleza airports.
This move reinforces Inter's innovative vocation, being the first to launch a 100% digital institution in Brazil in 2015, to integrate a marketplace into a banking app in 2019, and to create a financial social network in 2025.
Today, Inter operates as a Global Financial Super App, with over 44 million customers worldwide and an ecosystem that brings together banking, investments, credit, insurance, shopping, international remittances, and a rewards program. Its loan portfolio totals R$ 50 billion and its total assets reach R$ 98.6 billion.
