New wearable device makes payments simpler and addresses global privacy issues

British technology start-up McLEAR, has launched the McLEAR Smart Ring, a small, light-weight device which allows you to make payments by simply tapping your hand. Gone are the days of rummaging in pockets and wallets for bank cards or phones, people can now make a quick and seamless transaction by placing their hand over a payment terminal whenever they see the contactless symbol anywhere in the world.

The ring can be connected to any of the user’s cards or bank accounts, so they continue to be used albeit it with a radically enhanced user experience. Through using the ring, people can keep track of their day-to-day spends with the accompanying app.

Speaking about the ring, co-founder and CEO of McLEAR, Nicoli Prencipe, said:

“McLEAR Smart Ring is the payment device that allows you to always “carry” your wallet on your hand. Whether you are quickly moving through the Tube, going for a jog, or have your hands full, payments can be made with a stunningly simple tap of your hand. It requires no buttons, FaceID, or fingerprint scanning to use.”

Unlike paying with your smart phone or smart watch, which typically run out of battery in a single day, the McLEAR ring never requires charging, so you can always keep it with you and never have to worry about it running low. This is because it was especially engineered so that it does not require a battery.

Made from high-purity zirconia ceramic, the McLEAR Smart Ring is one of the strongest consumer electronic devices on the market. This makes it highly scratch resistant, so you do not need to worry about scuffing it. It is strenuously tested to withstand breaking throughout all normal day-to-day use – and is fully waterproof. The ring will not cause skin irritation thanks to it being designed with hypoallergenic properties.

Privacy and Anonymity

The McLEAR Smart Ring ushers in an era of anonymous security architecture never seen before in a consumer device. This Anonymity Architecture® revolutionises how people can protect themselves from security and privacy threats. These threats exist anywhere a person provides their personal information to someone else. Thanks to this architecture the ring allows consumers to pay for goods, without surrendering the privacy and security of their personal information.

“Our aspiration with the McLEAR Smart Ring is to resolve the global privacy crisis”, said Nicoli Prencipe, McLEAR co-founder and CEO. “It is our belief that this crisis will continue to metastasize, ad infinitum, until every piece of personal information about us is sold and traded on the Internet. Our privacy – our freedom – is invaluable.”

Each ring comes with a secure isolated bank account. This account sits between any of your cards or bank accounts and the merchant, so that your credit card details are never again shared with anyone and the transaction information is not directly tied back to you, reducing the risk of fraud.

The ring does not connect to the internet, and therefore you, as the only physical holder of the ring, are the only person able to access your connected accounts. If you lose the ring, you can immediately lock your entire identity connected to it with the click of one button in the app.

The McLEAR Smart Ring is designed so that it is always in your safest place in the world: in your hand. Unlike your phone or cards, it cannot slip out of your hand, be taken out of your pocket, or simply be photographed by a camera.

Providing the highest level of security was the crux of this innovation for McLEAR, who recognise the importance of protecting consumers’ privacy and personal data, especially in a year of high-profile global privacy breaches. The McLEAR Smart Ring puts power back into the hands of individual people, giving them the ability to protect themselves against fraud, data theft, and hacking.