Investec Expands Wearable Payments with VezoPay Ring in SA

In Short

Investec says wearable payments are rising in South Africa. The bank has expanded support for paying with devices like watches and rings.

What Happened

Investec says South Africans are increasingly choosing wearable payment and other contactless options for everyday purchases. Contactless means you tap a device on a payment terminal instead of inserting a card or using cash.

The bank says physical cards are becoming less visible in the checkout moment. Instead, the card often acts as the credential, meaning the underlying proof that you are allowed to pay, while the phone, watch, or ring is what you actually tap.

Investec Private Bank has extended its digital payments offering so clients can add Investec Visa cards to compatible wearable devices. That includes the VezoPay Ring, via an integration with VezoPay.

With the ring, users can make contactless payments by tapping the ring on a compatible terminal. Investec says the ring never needs charging, which supports an always-on payment experience.

Investec also pointed to global digital payment trends. It cited data showing digital wallets accounted for 56% of global e-commerce transaction value and 33% of in-store spending in 2025.

Why It Matters

Wearable payment adoption is another signal that South Africa’s payments market is moving to a hybrid setup. Cards, digital wallets, and wearables can all work together, but customers increasingly prefer fewer steps at checkout.

For banks, supporting more form factors can help retain high-value customers who care about speed and security. For merchants, higher contactless usage can reduce queues and improve conversion, especially in busy retail settings.

Investec also highlighted a travel use case through its multicurrency pockets. These are separate currency balances inside one account. The bank says its routing feature can select the right currency pocket automatically for a purchase, which can reduce friction when paying abroad.