News from the Wire

Marcus Smith boosts contactless payment ring from MuchBetter

Thursday, October 17, 2024 — 12:47:42 (EDT)

London, UK. 17th October 2024: MuchBetter, the wearable payments tech pioneer, today unveils British & Irish Lions rugby union star Marcus Smith as the face of its new campaign which offers free contactless ceramic payments rings to everyone in the UK.

The second-youngest Premiership debutant in history, Marcus Smith currently plays rugby union for Harlequins where was the top points-scorer in the 2020/21 Premiership season with 286 points, nearly 100 more than anyone else. In addition, he was part of both the British & Irish Lions squad and England 2023 Rugby World Cup team.

Now, like Marcus on the pitch, the MuchBetter Mastercard® Ring is changing the game, and Marcus is a fan. He is endorsing the wearable payment ring from MuchBetter that aims to break down the many barriers of wearable technology for everyday people, including cost and practicality, making the tech available to a whole new audience who aren’t or don’t want to normally able to spend big on smart tech. As part of a new campaign headed by Marcus, MuchBetter are giving away their rings for free to people in the UK provided they download the MuchBetter App and create an account, and load it with £50. The £50 load is the customers to keep and spend as they like.

The ring challenges companies that currently sell the same product for upwards of £100, and is unlike other contactless-enabled wearable items, as it has no battery, never needs to be charged, doesn’t rely on a phone for use, and is also water-resistant and durable.

The ring complements and already impressive line-up of MuchBetter digital payment services including their digital e-wallet and payments gateway, wearables including keyrings, watches, jewellery, and the MuchBetter prepaid Mastercard®.

Marcus commented: “I knew straight away that MuchBetter’s wearable payments ring was something that I wanted to get behind. It’s fantastic to see a tech product that can really make a difference to our everyday lives. Thanks to this ring, people no longer need to worry about searching for your card or getting an expensive phone in public to make a contactless payment, or even worrying about running out of battery. I believe that wearable payments are the future, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

Tom Lenihan, Director of Marketing at MuchBetter, says: “We’re delighted to have Marcus as part of our campaign and believe he embodies many of the values MuchBetter brings to the digital payments space as a young, dynamic disrupter who isn’t just here to take part, we’re here to take over. Wearable payment tech continue to rise in popularity in the UK and beyond, and we’re here to make it available to everyone. We believe that payment rings and similar wearables will replace phone and contactless card payments in a matter of time, and MuchBetter will to be at the forefront of empowering consumers with even more freedom and flexibility in how they want to pay.”

“While other payment rings can cost upwards of £100, we’re committed to giving away our rings for free and disrupt the standard wearable item business model where customers must first purchase an item and then load it with funds. We’re proud to be bringing a highly desirable and aspirational payment product to more people than ever before, and to extend the convenience of contactless into people’s daily lives. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that one day, everyone will use totally frictionless payment systems. Financial hold-ups, hassles, wallets and cards will just be a relic of the past, and the first step is to get our ring product onto the hands of as many people as possible.”

MuchBetter’s contactless payment ring can be used to make payments all over the world, anywhere that displays Mastercard or the contactless payment symbol, just by knocking the ring on the contactless payment terminal.

Marcus commented: “I find myself travelling a lot now for Rugby, in all sorts of weather, to any number of countries. I’m buzzing that this works anywhere in the world and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. From a vending machine for a bottle of water to paying for car parking, it has honestly already changed my life and daily habits!”

Available through the MuchBetter app, after loading £50, people simply need to enter their ring size, and pay a small delivery fee. Once they receive the ring, users simply need to hold it near their NFC-enabled smartphone to automatically detect and pair the ring via MuchBetter’s new ‘Tap to Activate’ functionality within the MuchBetter app.

People can load the ring with funds at their own convenience, receive instant transaction notifications, view spending histories, and instantly freeze the ring from making payments if it is lost or stolen, with no need to contact their bank first. Then when they find their misplaced ring, they can simply unfreeze and continue to use. People can also load their wallet and wearable item through bank or card account transfers, and cash vouchers purchased in physical stores.

Backed by a highly innovative technology division and with support from renowned tech investor Rtekk, MuchBetter is now making moves to bring stylish and cutting-edge wearable tech items to mainstream mass markets, at a scale and cost never before seen to disrupt established industries and product lines.

MuchBetter’s long-standing partnership with technology company Mastercard® was instrumental in enabling Mastercard guests attending the 2023 UEFA Champions League final to use contactless vegan ‘leather’ key fobs to make payments in and around Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium, whilst providing guests with access control in the venue, including cloakroom access and half-time food and beverages via mobile readers.

#ENDS#

LINK to Marcus Smith & MuchBetter Images and Video

About MuchBetter

MuchBetter is revolutionising the payments space. MuchBetter offers a variety of payment methods in its digital wallet app that supports over 16 languages.

The MuchBetter Wallet allows customers to spend, send, and store money securely, all from their mobile phones. In the coming months, customers in select markets will be able to pair MuchBetter Wearables, such as key fobs, watches, and more to make contactless payments.

The MuchBetter Mastercard® Ring issued by Paynovate SA pursuant to licence by Mastercard. Paynovate SA is an e-money issuer regulated by the National Bank of Belgium. Paynovate SA is registered with the Banque-Carrefour des Enterprises under number BE0506 763 929. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information: bankcardlife.com?orid=33533&opid=1 .

Source: Company press release.