Fidesmo and HONOR Launch Contactless Payments for HONOR Watch 6 Across Europe

Fidesmo has partnered with global technology brand HONOR to launch contactless payments on the HONOR Watch 6. This integration, powered by Fidesmo Pay, allows fintech professionals to see how tokenisation is bridging the gap between traditional banking networks and consumer electronics, providing a scalable entry point for device manufacturers into the competitive digital wallet ecosystem.

What was announced

The partnership introduces contactless payment capabilities to the HONOR Watch 6, marking Fidesmo's first significant entry into the smartwatch category. The service is powered by Fidesmo Pay and utilizes NXP’s NFC technology to facilitate secure transactions. Users can connect an existing Mastercard or Visa card to their device through the HONOR Health App. This process installs a unique token directly onto the watch, which serves as a secure reference to the payment method without storing actual card details on the hardware.

Once the token is provisioned, users can complete transactions at any contactless terminal by tapping their watch, mirroring the functionality of a physical card or smartphone. The service is currently available across Europe and the Middle East for customers whose financial institutions are part of the Fidesmo network. This network has grown to include more than 900 banks and financial institutions across over 40 countries, with recent participants including Klarna and Germany’s Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken.

By leveraging Fidesmo’s existing infrastructure, HONOR can offer a digital wallet experience to its Western European user base without the need to negotiate individual relationships with hundreds of different banks. This "connect once" model is designed to reduce the time-to-market for device manufacturers while expanding the reach of Fidesmo Pay beyond the offline, passive wearables—such as rings and traditional watch straps—that have previously defined its portfolio.

"A device brand should be able to bring payments to a product in months rather than years, and without having to build hundreds of banking relationships of its own. Through Fidesmo Pay - the platform underpinning the partnership - HONOR gains access to a payments ecosystem spanning more than 900 banks and financial institutions across over 40 countries, significantly reducing the time it takes to bring secure contactless payments to consumers,"

said Fidesmo Co-Founder and CEO Mattias Eld.

The companies involved

Fidesmo is a leading provider of tokenised payment technology that connects contactless services with a variety of devices. The company acts as a central platform for the "contactless economy," providing a single point of integration for both banks and device manufacturers. Its ecosystem allows financial institutions to offer their cardholders the ability to pay with a wide range of supported wearables, including products from Swatch, Polar, and Mondaine. By focusing on tokenisation, Fidesmo ensures that sensitive payment data is never exposed during the transaction process, maintaining high security standards across its global network.

HONOR is a major global technology brand with a significant market presence, particularly in Western Europe. Formerly a subsidiary of Huawei, the company now operates as an independent entity, focusing on a broad range of consumer electronics including smartphones and wearables. The integration of payment technology into the HONOR Watch 6 represents a strategic move to enhance its health and lifestyle ecosystem. Adam Cao serves as the President of HONOR Western Europe, overseeing the brand's efforts to deliver sophisticated digital wallet solutions to its regional customers.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed Fidesmo’s expansion as it builds out its wearable payment ecosystem. In September 2024, the publication reported that Fidesmo Partners with Swatch as the Payment Platform for SwatchPAY!, a move that solidified its role in the traditional watch industry. Earlier that year, in May, FF News covered how Polar introduces Contactless Payment Wristbands Powered by Fidesmo, highlighting the technology's utility in the fitness and sports sector. Additionally, the company's efforts to bridge the gap between fintech and hardware were noted in 2022 when Curve and Fidesmo join forces to meet growing demand for wearable payments, demonstrating the platform's long-standing commitment to meeting consumer demand for frictionless, on-the-go transactions.

What this means

This announcement signals a shift in the wearable payments landscape, as third-party tokenisation platforms move from "passive" accessories into the "active" smartwatch market. For years, this segment has been dominated by the proprietary wallets of major operating system providers. Fidesmo’s entry provides a viable alternative for hardware OEMs who wish to maintain brand independence while offering a competitive payment feature. The pressure is now on traditional banks to ensure their tokenisation strategies are device-agnostic. As consumer expectations for "pay-anywhere" convenience grow, the industry must address whether these third-party integrations can maintain the same level of user experience and security as native OS solutions.