Frequently asked questions about wearables

Frequently asked questions about wearables

KBC will cease supporting contactless payments with wearables on 15 June.

Learn more about other ways to make contactless payments.

Quick links

Management

Yes, you can.

  1. Log in to KBC Mobile and go to 'Means of payment' under 'My KBC'.
  2. Tap the wearable.
  3. You can temporarily turn off the payment feature on your wearable and turn it back on again when you need it to make a payment.

Remove it from KBC Mobile to permanently disable it for contactless payments. When you go to remove your wearable, you’ll get a message in KBC Mobile informing you of the consequences of doing so.

You should only remove your wearable if it has been lost or stolen. This action cannot be undone.

When you buy your wearable, you need to register a KBC Debit Card to link it to your wearable. You can change this afterwards in KBC Mobile. To do so, simply open the ‘Details’ view for your wearable and tap ‘Change’ next to your current linked debit card to pair your wearable with one of your other debit cards.

If one of your cards isn’t shown as an option, contact our helpdesk.

Payments

Paying with a wearable works in the same way as contactless payments with a card. All you have to do is hold your wearable device near the contactless-enabled payment terminal. Your wearable can be used to pay contactless at any Bancontact or Maestro terminal. Payments are debited instantly from the account you linked to your device.

Payments of up to 50 euros don’t require your PIN but you’ll have to enter it to confirm higher amounts (the same one you use for your debit card).

If you tried paying with your wearable but payment was refused, it's probably because you've already used it to make several PIN-less, contactless payments of less than 50 euros.

To make sure it’s still you making the payments, we temporarily block contactless payments of less than 50 euros.

How can you remove this temporary block?

All you have to do is make one payment of over 50 euros with your wearable. When paying, you will be asked automatically to enter your PIN. After entering it, the block will be removed and you can start making contactless payments of less than 50 euros again.

Yes, you can pay anywhere in the world that accepts Bancontact or Maestro contactless payments.

No, you can’t.

You can find everything you need to know about contactless payments here.

Yes, the spending limit for your wearable is the same as the weekly limit on your linked KBC Debit Card.

The virtual card number on your wearable remains valid for three years, as determined by Mastercard. This means that you can pay with your wearable up to three years after purchasing it. If you want to continue making contactless payments with your wearable after this period, contact the supplier of your device to hear the possibilities.

Security

Yes, it is completely safe and secure. Once your KBC Debit Card has been linked, your wearable is prepared for dispatch. The wearable will not yet have been activated at that point and, therefore, cannot be used to make payments. It will be sent to your delivery address, together with the instructions for activating it.

Paying with your wearable is just as safe and secure as paying with your KBC Debit Card. In addition, you can easily disable your wearable’s payment feature in KBC Mobile, which is handy when you don’t have the device on you or won’t be using it for a while.

Wearables use the same NFC (Near Field Communication) technology as contactless payment cards, except that, instead of being embedded in plastic, the chip is incorporated into a ring, watch, bracelet, key ring or other accessory. Wearables are subject to the same security measures as a KBC Debit Card.

For extra security you may occasionally be asked to enter your PIN, even if you’re spending under 50 euros. This is a fraud-prevention measure to check that it’s still you making the payments.
 

Act without delay. Block your KBC Debit Card in KBC Mobile or have it blocked by calling Card Stop on 078 170 170. As soon as it’s been blocked, you’ll no longer be able to pay using your card or the wearable linked to it.

KBC Mobile will also no longer show your wearable as being linked to a card. If you’ve received a new debit card and already used it for the first time, you can link it to a wearable using KBC Mobile. Just open the ‘Details’ view for your wearable and tap ‘Link card’ to pair your wearable with one of your other debit cards.

If you have more than one debit card and are waiting on a new one, you can link your wearable to one of your existing debit cards.

What to do if you experience any problems

If your debit card was renewed (because it had expired or you needed a replacement card), you don’t need to do anything. You can continue to make payments with your wearable.

If you have to have your debit card cancelled by Card Stop, you’ll need to link your wearable to the new card that’s automatically sent to you.

If you’ve received a new debit card and already used it for the first time, you can link it to a wearable using KBC Mobile. Just open the ‘Details’ view for your wearable and tap ‘Link card’ to pair your wearable with one of your other debit cards.
 

There may be several reasons why your payment didn’t go through. Try to pay again, pay for something at another retailer or use your card to check whether there’s a problem with the payment terminal.

Make sure the payment chip in your wearable is close enough to the payment terminal. If your wearable is a ring, you need to hold it to the payment terminal in a specific way, so be sure to read the instructions on the retailer’s website or in the guide provided.

If you’re still having problems, call one of our experts on 016 43 25 19.

Contact the retailer where you bought it for any technical defects (like a watch that’s stopped working, a damaged ring or a broken bracelet). They may suggest returning your wearable to them. If they do, they’ll ask you to temporarily disable your wearable for contactless payments or remove it from KBC Mobile. Only send it to them once you’ve done as instructed.

If you enter an incorrect PIN three times in a row, the linked KBC Debit Card will be blocked, and you will no longer be able to use your card and wearable. Fortunately, you can easily unblock your KBC Debit Card yourself in KBC Mobile. After doing so, you can start using your card and wearable again to make payments.