Visitors to the Olympic games Rio 2016 are able to make purchases in a variety of ways thanks to new payment innovations that have been introduced by worldwide Olympic partner visa.
New wearable payment devices and prepaid cards by Visa are helping to make payments at the Olympic Games easier and more accessible for both fans and athletes alike.
In total, Visa has implemented 4,000 near-field communication (NFC)-enabled point-of-sale (POS) terminals across key Olympic venues, all of which are capable of accepting mobile and wearable payments from devices such as smartphones and watches.
Among the payment innovations introduced by Visa are the Visa Payment Ring and the Pulseira Bradesco Visa bracelet – new payment wearables that both use NFC-enabled technology to make payments quick and easy anywhere in Rio where contactless payments are accepted.
The Payment Ring, which is currently in prototype only, allows users to tap on an NFC-enabled terminal to make a purchase and is being tested during the Games by Team Visa athletes. The Pulseira Bradesco bracelet, meanwhile, has been made available exclusively to the Brazil market in time for the Olympic Games. The adjustable athletic wristband is also both sweat- and water-resistant.
In addition to the first-ever payments using wearables, Visa has debuted the Bradesco Visa Rio 2016 Olympic Games-themed Commemorative prepaid cards. The cards, which feature Olympic and Paralympic mascots Vinicius and Tom respectively, will only be available in the Olympic Park. Fans can use them at the Rio 2016 Megastore at Copacabana or at any of the kiosks across the Rio 2016 venues, which will also serve as a Visa Customer Service touch point for any questions or issues related to Visa cards.
“In our 30 years of sponsorship of the Olympic Movement, this marks the first Games where wearable technology and mobile technology will be widely implemented,” explains Jim McCarthy, Visa’s Executive Vice President of Innovation & Strategic Partnerships. “Whether you’re choosing to pay with your phone, card or watch, fans and athletes can count on Visa to be accepted at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 across the entire Olympic footprint, including the Copacabana Megastore.”
As well as using the Olympic Games Rio 2016 as a showcase for acceptance and payment innovation, Visa has also been supporting a team of more than 60 athletes from around the world, all of whom are members of Team Visa Rio 2016.
“Since 1986, Visa has been committed to supporting National Olympic Committees, teams and athletes in their quest to achieve Olympic greatness,” says Charlie Scharf, CEO, Visa Inc. “In 2016, we will go even further, bringing the latest payment innovations and digital experiences to the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Our goal is to enable athletes, fans, cardholders and clients to get more out of their Olympic experience, and be part of a movement that inspires and unites us all to do great things.”
Visa has been a member of The Olympic Partner (TOP) Programme since 1986 and is the exclusive payment services sponsor and the only card accepted at the Olympic Games.
