Zepp Pay might finally be landing in the US. The latest update to the smartphone app (version 9.14.2) includes an unexpected new listing that suggests the company is preparing to launch support for American users.
The surprise comes in the form of a new supported region in the app’s payment setup menu. Tapping into the Zepp Pay section now reveals the United States as an available region, with The Bancorp Bank National Association listed as the associated financial institution.
That bank is often used as a backend provider for fintech services and prepaid card platforms. So its presence likely means Zepp Health has struck a new partnership to bring its contactless payment system to the US market.
Zepp Pay has been absent from US watches
Until now, Zepp Pay has remained limited to select markets in Europe and Asia. Watches like the Amazfit Balance and GTR 4 technically support NFC payments, but users in the US have never had access to activate the feature. That has been a sore spot for some owners, especially considering competing brands like Garmin and Fitbit have had contactless support available in the region for years.
This update changes the situation. The addition of a US-based bank, even if it’s just one for now, signals that Zepp Health is either testing the feature behind the scenes or lining up a quiet soft launch. If all goes to plan, more banks and card issuers could be added in future app versions.
Still limited in scope but a clear step
At this stage, there’s only one listed institution. That means Zepp Pay is not yet ready for mainstream use in the US. But if the company follows a similar model to what it did in Europe, it may start with limited prepaid or virtual card support before expanding into broader credit and debit card compatibility through licensed providers.
It’s not clear yet whether US-based users will need a special Amazfit watch variant or if existing hardware will be updated to enable the NFC chip. In some regions, payment features are tied to regulatory and firmware differences, so that’s worth watching.
There has been no official announcement from Zepp Health. But this quiet addition to the app suggests that a public reveal might be near. It could also simply be a background configuration test. Still, it’s the clearest sign so far that Amazfit watches might finally support wrist-based payments for US users.
This article originally appeared on Gadgets & Wearables, the first media outlet to report the story.
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