A Polish-British company is offering individuals the opportunity to receive a subcutaneous implant inside the hand that is capable of making payments–like any credit card or digital payment.
The company, called Walletmor, is selling microchips the size of a small safety pin that is implanted under the skin of the individual's hand and cost just over $200.
According to the company, more than 200 individuals have already received the microchip, and Walletmor believes it's because people do not want to worry about losing their wallets or getting their bank cards stolen.
A national study conducted by BIOSTAT found that more than 72 percent of Poles worried about having their wallet or cards stolen or lost. Nearly 47 percent also said they would receive an implant if it was completely free.
The implant will allow individuals to make payments without having to carry around any form of physical payment such as a mobile phone or card.
"It can replace a bulky wallet and is a convenient alternative to a credit card or a device with a payment function," the company said.
The idea of microchip implantation is nothing new, with some people in Sweden seeking to receive microchips containing COVID-19 vaccination records, but this is the first case in which a microchip is used to make payments.
After the procedure, individuals are able to transfer funds into the digital wallet application and can immediately make purchases at most businesses around the world simply by scanning their hand over the card reader.
"Every day we receive several phone calls from all over Poland asking about the implant and where it can be performed," the release stated. "The interest is so great that currently, the queue of waiting clients in our country is several dozen people."
According to Wojtek Paprota, the CEO and founder of Walletmor, the implantation is simple and "painless" but should only be performed by professionals in hygienic conditions. Currently, the procedure is only offered to permanent residents of a European Union country, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom.
The procedure can be performed in 11 centers throughout Poland. In a media release, Walletmor announced a cooperation with a "nationwide network" of doctors willing to perform the procedure.
Szymon Manasterski, an orthopedic specialist cooperating with Walletmor, said the procedure takes just over 25 minutes–with the implantation taking just four minutes. The implant, which measures less than one millimeter thick, is placed under the skin through an incision.
The implant expires five years after activation but can be easily replaced, according to Walletmor.
Newsweek reached out to Walletmor for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Samantha Berlin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on trends and human-interest stories. Samantha ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
