• Transparent, elastomer-free capacitive sensors are obtained based on CuNWs. • The sensor can resist 1000 bending cycles at a curvature radius of 0.5 mm. • The senor possesses a high optical transmittance of 81.1%. • A suggested mechanism of capacitance change for the sensor is proposed. • The senor possesses a high sensitivity. Highly flexible transparent piezo-capacitive sensors have been prepared via using a combination of Cu nanowire (NW) conductive network and UV-curable resin. The CuNWs are interconnected and randomly distributed on the substrate. The percolating network structure of CuNW electrode and the ultrathin thickness (4 μm) of polymer film, make the senor possess a high optical transmittance of 81.1 %. The strong affinity of resin to the CuNW networks stabilizes the sensor mechanically that it can resist 1000 bending cycles at a curvature radius of 0.5 mm. The capacitance is generated via the CuNW interdigital electrode pattern by the fringing effect, and increased with increasing the pressure acted on the surface of the sensor. The sensitivity is seven times larger than that of an elastomeric piezo-capacitive sensor with the same sensor design.