How to pay with Xiaomi smartwatches: full instructions on Mi Pay, Google Pay and SberPay

Xiaomi smartwatches have long ceased to be just fitness trackers — now full-fledged payment devices that allow you to pay for purchases with a single touch. But how exactly to configure this feature, which models support contactless payments, and how safe is it? In this article, we will analyze all the nuances of payment with Mi Band, Redmi Watch and flagship Xiaomi Watch, including step-by-step instructions for different payment systems.

It is important to understand that payment options depend not only on the watch model, but also on the region of sale, the firmware version and even the bank that issued your card. For example, Mi Pay (via “World”), Google Pay (for Wear OS watches) and SberPay are available in Russia, and in Europe and China, Alipay is also available. We collected up-to-date information for 2026, including bypassing restrictions on imported devices.

What Xiaomi Watches Support Contactless Payments?

Not all Xiaomi smartwatches can pay for purchases, but here are the key models that support NFC and payment systems:

• 📱 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro — Wear OS, Google Pay + Mi Pay (in China)
• 💳 Xiaomi Watch S3 — Mi Pay ("Peace"), SberPay, Alipay (depending on the region)
• 🔄 Redmi Watch 3 Active – Mi Pay only (limited support)
• ⚠️ Mi Band 7/8 — no NFC, Payments are impossible (despite advertising for smart features")
• 🌍 Xiaomi Watch 2 (global version) – Google Pay, but no Mi Pay

The main difference is firmware. Chinese versions of the watch (with the CN suffix in the model) support Mi Pay and Alipay, but may not work with Russian banks. Global versions (with the Global suffix) are more often compatible with Google Pay, but require binding to an Android smartphone.

How to set up Mi Pay on Xiaomi Watches (for Mir cards)

Mi Pay is Xiaomi’s own payment system, which in Russia only works with Mir cards.

1. Install the Mi Fitness app (or Xiaomi Wear for new models) on your smartphone.
2. Connect the watch to the app via Bluetooth.
3. Go to the wallet section. → Add a map.
4. Scan the map “World” or enter the data manually.
5. Confirm the link via SMS from the bank.

Once you add the card, you can choose it as the main card right on the watch: swipe down on the home screen, find the Mi Pay icon and hold it for 2 seconds to activate. Note: on Redmi Watch 3, Mi Pay only works with firmware version 1.4.5 and higher - check for updates in the application.

Google Pay on Xiaomi Watches: Instructions for Wear OS

Wear OS models (such as Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro) support Google Pay, but with the following nuances:

• 📱 The watch must be connected to a smartphone on Android 8.0+.
• 🔒 On the smartphone should be configured Google Pay with a tied card.
• 🌐 The device must have Google Mobile Services (GMS) — Chinese versions of watches without GMS Not support Google Pay.

To add a map:

1. Open the Google Pay app on your watch (if not, install it on your watch via Play Market).
2. Click Add a map and select the one that is already linked to your Google account.
3. Confirm the addition via notification on your smartphone.

To pay, double-click on the side button of the watch (on the Watch 2 Pro) and bring it to the terminal. Importantly, if the watch is dead or rebooted, you will need to re-authenticate via your smartphone.

SberPay and other alternatives: how to pay without Mi Pay

If you do not have a Mir card or the watch does not support Mi Pay, you can use:

To set up SberPay:

1. Open the Sberbank Online application on your smartphone.
2. Go to Settings → Smart devices → Add a gadget.
3. Choose your Xiaomi watch from the list.
4. Confirm the binding via SMS.

⚠️ Note: If you use Redmi Watch 3 with firmware for China, SberPay may not appear in the list of supported devices. In this case, try changing the watch region to Russia using the Xiaomi Wear app (Device Profile section). → Region).

Payment security: how to protect your money

Contactless payments via Xiaomi watches are better protected than conventional bank cards, but there are risks:

• 🔐 Tokenization: The watch does not store the card number, instead it uses a virtual token. Even if the watch is stolen, the attacker will not gain access to the real card data.
• 📱 Two-factor authentication: First payment after clock reboot requires confirmation on smartphone.
• 🚨 Vulnerabilities: Mi Pay bugs were discovered in 2023 that allow card data to be read up to 10 cm away (fixed in firmware 2.1.4)+). Always update the software!

To minimize the risks:

• Install. PIN-watch code (in Settings) → Security).
• Turn off NFC when you are not using payments (in Settings → Connections → NFC).
• Set up payment notifications in the banking application.

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If you have lost your watch, immediately block your linked cards via a mobile bank. In Mi Pay, you can do this in the Mi Fitness app (Wallet → Card Management).

Frequent Problems and How to Solve Them

Even after setting up the payments correctly, the following errors and their solutions:

If the watch stops paying after the firmware update, try:

1. Remove and add the map again in the application.
2. Reset the clock settings to factory (in Settings → System → Reset).
3. Contact Xiaomi with error logs (you can get them in Settings → About Phone → Error log).

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi Watch S3 There was a bug with firmware 1.3.8 that blocked payments through Mi Pay after 5 transactions. Update firmware to 1.5.1+, avoid problems.

Comparison with other brands: which is better for payments?

Xiaomi watches are not the only option for contactless payments.

• 🍎 Apple Watch: Supports Apple Pay with any banks, but requires an iPhone. Payment limit is up to 5,000 ₽ proofless.
• ⚙️ Samsung Galaxy Watch: Works with Samsung Pay and Google Pay, but only with Samsung smartphones.
• 🤖 Huawei Watch: Huawei Pay is supported, but not all banks are available in Russia.
• 💰 Garmin: Working with Garmin Pay, but list of supported banks is very limited.

Benefits of Xiaomi:

• ✅ Low price compared to Apple/Samsung.
• ✅ Mi Pay support for Mir cards (relevant for Russia).
• ✅ Option between multiple payment systems (on Wear models) OS).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Limited Bank Support in Mi Pay.
• ❌ Difficulty with setting up Google Pay on Chinese versions of watches.
• ❌ No support for Apple Pay (even on iOS watches).

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If you want maximum compatibility with Russian banks, choose Xiaomi Watch S3 (Mi Pay + SberPay) or Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro (Google Pay).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions