Smart Chip Switzerland is the inventor of the first chip that can be applied to the fingernail, enabling contactless payments as well as the transmission of business cards and social media contact information. In the future, access to office security entrances, building entrances, and one’s own car, as well as other applications, will also be possible conveniently via the fingernail.
Smart Chip Switzerland AG’s most important partner is Infineon, a global leader in semiconductor solutions and IoT (Internet of Things). The company, headquartered in Neubiberg, near Munich, has conducted extensive research and development to develop a chip solution ideally suited for placement on small antennas, meaning everything fits comfortably on a fingernail. Additional components, such as the custom-made smart chip antenna, come from LUX-IDent and its parent company HID Global, a global leader in trusted identity solutions.
Claude Niedermann, founder and chairman of the board of directors of Smart Chip, said: “It has been a long journey to develop and patent the smart chip and its application to such perfection that it is ready for global market launch. I am very grateful, first and foremost, to Infineon, but also to all other partners such as LUX-IDent, for the tireless innovation that was necessary to achieve this.”
Tolgahan Yildiz, Head of Trusted Mobile Connectivity and Transactions Product Line at Infineon, says: “The Smart Chip is an innovation driver that combines security and convenience in payments and beyond. It is therefore a perfect fit for Infineon as a global leader in security solutions. Our contactless and high-quality payment solutions are based on decades of experience and a deep understanding of the application and system of payment cards.”
The Smart Chip is a multifunctional inlay that is permanently attached to the fingernail. It consists of the actual chip, a coil, and tiny capacitors that provide the required range.
After application to the fingernail, the inlay can either remain visible or be covered with common nail treatment systems (such as gel polish). The Smart Chip is replaced every 6 to 9 weeks.
Using the specially developed app, customers can conveniently enter their data, store it encrypted on the smart chip, and carry it with them at all times. It’s literally “at hand” at all times, without the need for any additional devices. This even works while swimming in the sea or exercising.
Smart Chip launch in Germany and Switzerland – more countries to follow
Smart Chip Switzerland AG has now launched the chip in Germany and Switzerland after a test phase lasting several months. It is currently available at over 100 points of sale in Germany and Switzerland and is applied to the fingernail in just a few minutes. All of these locations can be found on the Smart Chip website. Currently, it is primarily nail salons that offer this service. In the future, however, it will also be possible to have such a chip applied in many other stores.
Among other things, a temporary pop-up presence is planned for November 2025 in a Swisscom shop in Zurich-Oerlikon, which will introduce customers of Switzerland’s largest telecom provider to the Smart Chip experience and service.
In addition to Germany and Switzerland, a dozen other countries are already preparing for launch in their markets through corresponding franchisees. Smart Chip’s goal is to become the world’s leading provider of fingernail-applied chips in the coming years.
TV show GALILEO reports
The German television station Pro7 also became aware of Smart Chip’s innovation with its premium program GALILEO. TV editor Metehan Bastan and his film crew reported on Smart Chip and filmed in Switzerland and at Infineon Technologies in Munich. The report is scheduled to air on Monday, October 27, 2025, at 7:05 p.m.
