Seattle-based VivoKey Technologies offers subdermal crypto wallets for safe cryptocurrency transactions using NFC and RFID technology.
The thought of losing a crypto wallet full of Bitcoin, Ethereum, or the latest meme coin can give any investor nightmares. Seattle-based Dangerous Things and VivoKey Technologies have a novel way to keep your coins on you at all times: by putting them in you.
Wallets are a hallmark of the cryptocurrency space and have been a vital and often frustrating part of the ecosystem from the very beginning. They come in all shapes and sizes, from desktop computer applications and browser plugins to devices the size of credit cards and USB thumb drives. The pill-sized Apex wallet just happens to secure data under your skin.
“These wallets are hardware wallets that are meant to be used for sending cryptocurrency,” VivoKey Technologies and Dangerous Things founder and CEO Amal Graafstra told Decrypt in an interview. “Your phone app is your interface, but it doesn’t have any private keys. The private key and the actual signing of the Bitcoin transaction, or the crypto transaction, is done in the chip.”
The solution is a form of biohacking, a realm where you’ll find experiments to extend life or using brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to operate computers. Many biohackers—from researchers to tech enthusiasts—are using subdermal computer chip implants. Graafstra says the Apex chip can be used to store Bitcoin, open a door, or pay for a cup of coffee.
“We have a couple of different Bitcoin and crypto wallets right now that are supported,” Graafstra said. “We have a Satochip wallet, the Seedkeeper application, and the Status IM key card wallet. Those work with different blockchains.”
Launched in 2013 and 2017, respectively, Dangerous Things and VivoKey specialize in near-field communication (NFC) and radio frequency identification (RFID) technology customized to be installed inside a human’s body.
According to VivoKey, the Satochip is a BIP32/39 wallet applet that allows users to safely store cryptocurrency and securely transact on the blockchain with multiple currency types supported.
“The Apex currently comes in a ‘Flex’ form factor, which is a much wider device, but very thin,” Graafstra explained. “And so the procedure is similar; it’s a needle, you put the needle under the skin, you remove the needle, and then with sterile gloves, you pick up the Apex Flex, and you slide that into the incision.”
Currently, an Apex Flex implantable device retails for $349.
For more details, read the full article on Decrypt.