Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup Muse Wearables has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch India’s first wearable payments ecosystem, powered by Muse Wallet and NPCI’s trusted RuPay network. The new ecosystem allows users to make instant, secure payments by tapping their stylish Smart Ring “Ring One” on any NFC-enabled POS terminal - no phone, card, or wallet required.

“We are taking on foreign tech giants in the digital wallet ecosystem by creating a truly sovereign alternative for India. This proves that world-class technology can be built right here in India. With Muse Wallet, we are making cashless payments effortless. In the next two years, we aim to enable millions of RuPay cardholders to experience the convenience of wearable payments,” said K.L.N. Sai Prasanth, Co-Founder and CEO, Muse Wearables.

Muse Wallet enables any RuPay credit or debit card to be converted into a secure digital token and stored directly inside a tamper-resistant Secure Element (SE) chip — the same grade of hardware security used in bank cards and passports. This ensures complete isolation of sensitive credentials from the phone’s operating system or applications. Muse Wearables has already begun onboarding issuing banks onto Muse Wallet and aims to support all issuers in India, making this new form of payment truly ubiquitous.

Muse Wallet is already live in over 40 countries and supports cards from nearly 600 banks. The global platform will now be available in India through RuPay, democratizing access to secure, effortless digital payments for millions of users across the country, including Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, the company said in a statement.

“The global response to Muse Ring One Payments has been phenomenal. We are already live across 40 countries and 600 banks on the Mastercard network. With RuPay integration, we are now bringing that same world-class experience to India. We invite all issuers and banking partners to come on board and join us in building the next generation of contactless payments,” Sahil Ajay Choudhary, Vice President - Global Business, Muse Wearables, said.

An IIT Madras-incubated start-up, Muse Wearables, graduated from the incubation programme and relocated to Bengaluru, where they have their manufacturing unit. The company designs, develops, and sells wearable electronics and mobile internet services. Funded by the likes of SS Rajamouli (RRR Director), Keiretsu Forum Chennai, Lead Angels, Smart Sparks, and Bhaskar Rao (Chairman of KIMS Hospitals), Muse has launched hybrid smartwatches, health trackers, and Ring One — the world’s first smart ring to integrate advanced health tracking with on-the-go payments.