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RFID Wallets: Understanding RFID Technology and Life with a ‘Smart’ Wallet

We all know that technology and circuits are everywhere. It’s in our cars, our homes, and even on our bodies! RFID technologies are becoming more popular for many different reasons. If you’re considering buying RFID wallets, it might be helpful to understand how these chips work and what they can do for you.

In this article, we will explore the uses, benefits of RFIDs and how they work. If you want to make one yourself, click here to see how. 

What are RFID Wallets?

What is RFID? RFID is the acronym for Radio Frequency Identification. It’s a wireless technology that stores your personal information on an RFID chip. RFID wallets are made from a blend of different materials. These include metal, plastic, or leather and have RFID blocking material embedded inside them. Also, they provide the owner with RFID built-in protection that the traditional wallet doesn’t offer.

RFID Wallets are rapidly becoming more popular in the world. Owning an RFID-blocking wallet enables you to carry your cards without the risk of electronic theft. These can be your credit cards, debit cards, or even your identification cards. 

Internet crime

(Internet crime)

RFID skimming is when somebody can scan your wallet and steal information on your RFID-enabled credit cards. Consequently, they can access all of your personal information, which can lead to identity theft and credit card fraud. It is also known as electronic pickpocketing, which happens a lot with owning ordinary wallets. 

This makes owning an RFID-block-enabled compact wallet an excellent investment for many people. There is a wide variety of RFID wallets in the market that come with built-in RFID protection. If you’re thinking about buying a new wallet, consider purchasing one with RFID-blocking material inside, and they’ll give you peace of mind knowing that your information is safe!

How is RFID used?

Contactless payment

(Contactless payment)

RFID technology is found everywhere, from hospitals to military installations and even grocery stores. Also, you may have seen them before without even knowing it! For example, a small, protruding rectangular chip on the front of the card. This is an RFID. 

Using RFID technology allows you to quickly access your information on your credit card and debit cards. In addition, you get the ability to make purchases through contactless payment. Also, this technology is present in parking meters, toll booths, and public transportation cards like London’s Oyster card. 

RFID Chips and tags

(RFID Chips and tags)

RFID tags can even be found inside some passports! Moreover, as the number of manufacturers using them increases, we’ll continue to see more RFID technology in our daily lives. Similarly, this type of chip gets used to tag and monitor animals. Security access cards for some offices, schools, and universities also use RFID chips.

There are many other ways that RFIDs can work for you.  

Working Principle of RFID chip

RFID chips work on the principle of radio waves. They are also known as RF tags or RF labels. And, they contain a microchip with a serial number that gets used in tracking items. For example, luggage in airports, pets in veterinary clinics, and library books at public libraries use RF tags.

 RFID chip

( RFID chip)

The RFID tags are small, thin pieces of silicon that contain a chip that holds your data. RFIDs work by turning your data into radio signals. When activated by an electronic reader, the tag emits radio waves containing information about the owner. These waves then get scanned to reveal the details on the chip.

As RFIDs are so helpful, they get used in more and more items. For instance, if you have Google Wallet on your smartphone, it uses NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to make payments. 

How to make a DIY RFID wallet

Making your RFID minimalist wallet is pretty cheap and straightforward. This technique will work with any wallet that you use.

Hands folding a paper

( Hands folding a paper)

Materials needed are :

  • Aluminum foil
  • Tape or adhesive
  • A thin plastic or gift box

Simple steps.

  1. First, you’ll need to pick up a thin piece of gift box or thin, foldable plastic. Then, cut it down to your preferred size. Also, you can cut additional card pockets at this stage.
  2. Next, fold it in the middle using the size of the bank cards as your guide. Adjust the shape to fit the cards. Remember, you want a slim design wallet.
  3. Now, you want to cut your aluminum foil to fit inside your wallet design. Make sure that the size you cut fits perfectly.
  4. Afterward, attach the aluminum foil using adhesive to the inside of your folded gift box or plastic. This will create a layer of security that’ll protect your cards against the radio frequencies of RFID readers
RFID reader

(RFID reader)

  1. You can now add pockets inside the DIY wallet by gluing cut pieces of box or plastic using the adhesive. 
  2. Then, neatly tape the ends of the cut gift box wallet. Do this to prevent the ends from tearing up.
  3. Finally, fit your cards in your wallet. Make any changes needed as you try to fit your cards. Make sure it can easily and comfortably fit in your pocket.

Now you’re ready to go! Just make sure your RFID wallet is always on you when needed, and it will protect you from electronic theft and offer additional protection from financial crimes.

NB; You want to use aluminum foil because it’s thin, lightweight, and inexpensive, but any metal or plastic does the trick. Also, aluminum foil is an RFID blocking material. We want a minimalist design for this project. However, you will need a large piece of foil for larger wallets. 

(RFID logo)

Summary:

RFID technology is the future of data transmission and storage—and it’s coming up quickly. In addition, RFID wallets are an excellent way to secure your personal information. They come in many different sizes, styles, and shapes, so you can pick out the one that best fits you.

With that, we hope this article has given you some insight into how to make your RFID wallets and understand RFID technology easily. For more information on the subject or have any questions, feel free to contact us! Our team is always ready to help.

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Emma Lu
Our professional engineering support saves our customers a lot of trouble and loss. >>>>>> After you place the order, our engineer will conduct technical reviews to make sure the parts can be mounted well/correctly on the boards. We will check if the component packages match well with the Gerber footprints, if the part numbers you provided match well with the descriptions, and if the polarity is clearly marked. >>>>> When your design is ready, please send your Gerber and BOM so we can quote and start!

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