Payment rings are already available in Israel, with industry estimates saying thousands have been sold, and they can be used at most merchants that support contactless payments. They do not need a battery or charging, and on small purchases users simply tap the ring, while larger transactions still require a PIN, just like a regular card.
The article says the technology itself is not new, but it has not yet gone mainstream because most rings look too plain, black or metallic, and feel more like gadgets than jewelry people would want to wear every day. Consumer influencer Reut Tekani Li is now trying to change that with a new gold payment ring, created with jewelry designer Shani Kojman and MAX, using 24K gold accents.
The move reflects a wider trend abroad. Amazon and other international marketplaces already sell decorative payment rings in many styles, including luxury versions and models with stones and flashy designs, some priced at as much as $400. Standard smart rings generally cost $110 to $200, about 410 to 750 shekels, depending on brand, materials and design.
The underlying technology is NFC, the same contactless system used by cards, phones and smartwatches. The article argues that the real barrier may be design rather than function, pointing to the success of the Oura Ring, which has become popular worldwide as a health and sleep tracker. If consumers continue embracing wearables that combine utility and style, payment rings could follow the same path, with fashion and jewelry rather than banks or fintech companies driving the next stage of adoption.
