What SECORA Connect X Is and Why It Matters
SECORA Connect X is Infineon’s ready-to-integrate wearable payment technology that embeds a secure NFC payment card emulation chip directly into smart rings, watches, and fitness trackers so they can process worldwide contactless payments at point-of-sale terminals without needing a paired smartphone or digital wallet app. As contactless payment wearables grow alongside an expected 4 billion NFC-enabled devices and up to 700 million wearables by 2030, brands need a way to add secure, convenient payments without building banking infrastructure from scratch. SECORA Connect X answers this by combining secure hardware, payment card tokenization, and wallet software into a single platform. The result is a wearable that behaves like a contactless Visa or Mastercard, but lives on the user’s wrist or finger, closing the gap between security, usability, and always-on access to payments.
How Wearables Pay Without a Phone or Wallet App
At the core of SECORA Connect X is a Secure Element, a tamper-resistant chip that stores payment credentials and emulates a contactless card at the terminal. Instead of relying on cloud access or a connected phone, the wearable itself holds tokenized card data, so it can complete secure wearable payments on any contactless-enabled POS terminal. Infineon describes SECORA Connect X as “the smallest NFC payment card emulation device on the market,” which helps it fit into slim smart rings and lightweight fitness bands while keeping power consumption low. The chip supports Java Card and GlobalPlatform standards, which means developers can add NFC or Bluetooth features alongside payments. Because the secure payment logic runs locally on the device, users can tap-to-pay even when their phone is off, their battery is low, or they prefer not to carry a phone.
SECORA Wallet, Token Requestor, and Visa Mastercard Certification
SECORA Connect X works together with SECORA Wallet and the SECORA Token Requestor service to turn traditional cards into wearable-ready tokens. The Token Requestor connects directly to Mastercard’s MDES and Visa’s VTS systems, digitizing cards and removing Primary Account Numbers from the payment chain for better security. These tokenized credentials are then stored on the Secure Element inside the wearable. Infineon’s solution is certified by Visa and Mastercard for worldwide contactless payment acceptance, so a tokenized wearable is recognized globally at all contactless POS terminals. OEMs can build a custom-branded wallet app on top of the white-label SDK for iOS and Android, allowing users to enroll cards, manage tokens, and control their contactless payment wearables. Because card digitization, token lifecycle management, and wallet functions are handled in one platform, brands gain Visa Mastercard certification without assembling separate providers.
A One-Stop-Shop for Secure Wearable Payments
Infineon positions SECORA Connect X and SECORA Wallet as a one-stop-shop for turning wearables into secure payment devices. OEMs get end-to-end support: secure hardware, tokenization services, wallet software, and pre-certified payment applets, all designed to shorten time-to-market. Tolgahan Yildiz, Head of Trusted Mobile Connectivity and Transactions at Infineon, states that the SECORA platform “turns wearables into payment devices certified by Visa and Mastercard with worldwide acceptance at all contactless POS terminals, without the need for a phone or digital wallet.” For users, this closes a major adoption gap. Wearable payment technology often depends on external apps, network connections, or third-party wallets; SECORA enables direct, secure tap-to-pay from the device itself. With credentials stored on the chip instead of the cloud, and with low power consumption extending battery life, wearers gain both convenience and confidence in everyday contactless payments.
Beyond Payments: Future-Proofing Connected Devices
While SECORA Connect X focuses on active wearables, Infineon complements it with SECORA Connect E for connected IoT devices like AR or VR headsets, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, and PC accessories. Both solutions benefit from Infineon’s work in standard bodies such as EMVCo, GlobalPlatform, NFC Forum, and others, helping ensure that secure wearable payments align with evolving industry rules. For product designers, this means they can add contactless payment wearables and other NFC features without becoming payment experts. Pre-certified applets and 1 MB of memory leave room for custom applications, so brands can add loyalty, access control, or transit functions alongside payments. As NFC-enabled devices and contactless payment wearables continue to spread, SECORA’s approach gives OEMs a flexible foundation: one secure chip and wallet platform that can support today’s payment use cases while staying ready for new services and standards.