We’ve written about a variety of implants, including e-stim implants to help restore the ability to walk, retinal implants, a 3-D printed implant that accelerates wound healing, and more. London-based WalletMor has developed a near-field communication (NFC) contactless payment implant you can have inserted beneath the skin in your hand. Payment implants are not a brand new technology. For example, passengers on Swedish rail operator SJ have been able to pay for tickets this way since 2017. As of this January, Walletmor’s payment implant is available for purchase in the U.S. for $229.00.

If the concept of making purchases by waving your hand at a payment terminal intrigues you, start by purchasing a Walletmor NFC chip, which comes with an activation code. In the U.S. the next step is to download the Purewrist app. Purewrist is a pre-paid debit card system for contactless payment accounts issued by Sutton Bank under license by Mastercard International. After you download the iOS or Android Purewrist app, the next step is to activate the implant and register the account with your personal verification data. Next, fund the Purewrist prepaid payment account from another card or bank account. With those steps complete, the final step is to arrange for implant installation.

The NFC chip in the Walletmor implant stores encrypted data about your Purewrist account. When you wave your hand with the implant near a contactless payment terminal, a magnetic field in the terminal activates an NFC antenna in the implant. The NFC antenna communicates the information using the ISO14443 communications protocol. The implant’s outer layer is an FDA-approved biopolymer, according to Walletmor. Walletmor suggests that you have the implant procedure performed by a physician or a professional modifier.

With your implant in place and a Purewrist account flush with funds, you can use the implant at any contactless Mastercard payment terminal. Purewrist charges a $5 subscription fee each month, subtracted directly from the account. Walletmor wearers with European home addresses use iCard for contactless payments and do not pay a monthly fee, Implant wearers with American addresses must use the Purewrist account, according to Walletmor.

You can’t lose or forget a Walletmor payment implant and it’s difficult to steal (crime movies notwithstanding). Walletmor claims the minimal amount of stored data is encrypted. The implant ships in a “clinically clean” sealed pouch with chlorhexidine gluconate. Again according to Walletmor, installation is quick and easy. The implant also can be removed simply if you change your mind or want to replace it with another implant.