There's a new smart ring out there, and it has two features Oura is still missing. Circular unveiled the Circular Ring 3 Slim and Circular Ring 3 Pro at the IFA 2026 show, and both models bring a tap-to-pay contactless payment feature.
Pay with your ring, keep your smartphone in your pocket
Circular is bringing the long-awaited tap-to-pay feature to its Ring 3 models. | Image by Circular
There are two models, as already mentioned — the Circular Ring 3 Slim and the Pro. The Slim model, as the name suggests, is a compact device measuring just 5.9 mm wide and 2.35 mm thick.
The weight varies depending on the size you pick, but at 1.9 to 3 grams, you won't even notice it on your finger. The Circular Ring 3 Slim uses an interesting mixture of materials — titanium on the outer side for durability and epoxy resin on the inside for comfort.
The biggest new feature, of course, is the addition of contactless payments to the ring. The ring supports tap-to-pay for Visa and Mastercard.
Unlike a smartwatch, there is no screen to activate before paying. The embedded NFC chip reacts passively when it comes into close proximity with an active payment reader. The system uses a secure tokenization technology to allow this, but Circular is yet to show the integration with actual banking apps.
As a fitness and health tracker, the Ring 3 Slim does the basics. It can monitor glucose trends, track your sleep stages, and monitor daily activity levels, heart rate, and skin temperature. There's haptic feedback, as well, but it can't handle calls or notifications. The vibration serves as a silent alarm for reminders and to wake you up in the morning discreetly.
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Circular says you can get up to 10 days of usage on a single charge out of the Ring 3 Slim, which is great.
Would you use a smart ring to make payments?
3 Votes
Ring 3 Pro adds advanced health tracking
Size comparison between the two new Ring 3 models and the previous generation. | Image by Circular
The Ring 3 Pro version adds deep health insights thanks to additional sensors. The build is all-titanium, and it's slightly larger than the Slim version.
One of the key health features this Pro version offers is the FDA-cleared electrocardiogram. The Ring 3 Pro can also detect signs of atrial fibrillation and, in line with the current health trends, also offers blood pressure trends.
Because it's a bigger and heavier device, the battery life is better compared to the Slim model. It offers up to 12 days on a single charge.
The Circular Ring 2 launched at $349, so expect a premium price tag for the Ring 3 as well. | Image by Circular
Circular didn't reveal the actual price of the Ring 3 Slim and Ring 3 Pro. We can, however, extrapolate the price tag from the company's previous wearable.
The Circular Ring 2 starts at $349, so don't expect a cheaper device, especially with the new tap-to-pay feature on board.
Paying with your ring?
This feature sounds like a lot of fun on paper, but there could be potential problems. First of all, requiring no action other than waving your hand over a terminal is a recipe for disaster. If I were to wear this ring, I'd be super cautious where my hands are going every time I visit the local mall.
I hope Circular has some security system in place to protect Ring 3 owners from scams and paying for things without realizing. Maybe holding your thumb over the ring for a certain amount of time? What do you think? Would you use your ring to pay for stuff, or is using a smartphone or a smartwatch convenient enough for you?
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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