How to Install Your Chip in a Gold Wraps Metal Card

Your Gold Wraps metal card ships without a chip so you can install your own and make it a fully functional payment card. The process takes most people about 30 to 35 seconds and uses the chip from a bank card you already own. This guide walks you through it step by step.

 

What you'll need

  • Your Gold Wraps metal card
  • An existing bank card with a chip that you own and are happy to retire (the chip can only live in one card at a time)
  • A hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting. You can also use a cigarette lighter.
  • A thin, flat tool such as a craft knife or a guitar pick (optional).
  • A small amount of B7000 glue (E8000 works as well). NEVER USE SUPER GLUE.
  • Patience and a steady hand

Before you start: please read

  • Only use your own card. Never use a card that does not belong to you.
  • This retires your old card. Once you remove the chip, the original plastic card will no longer work. The chip itself keeps functioning in its new metal home.
  • Check with your bank. Some banks have their own policies about modifying cards. If in doubt, ask your bank or order a replacement chip card to use for the transplant. Although it is entirely your choice. Banks usually don't care.
  • Go slowly. Rushing or overheating is the most common cause of a damaged chip. Low heat and gentle pressure are all you need.

Step-by-step

  1. Warm the old card. Using your hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting, gently warm the area around the chip on your old bank card for 3 to 5 seconds. This softens the adhesive holding the chip module in place. Keep the heat moving so you don't scorch the plastic.
  2. Lift the chip out. Bend the card slightly to prick the chip out. Alternatively, to be extra careful, slide your craft knife or guitar pick under one edge of the gold chip module and gently work it free. The chip is a small metal square with contact pads on top. Lift slowly and evenly so the delicate connections underneath stay intact.
  3. Clean both surfaces. Remove any old adhesive from the back of the chip and from the chip cavity in your Gold Wraps metal card. The cavity is pre-milled to fit a standard chip module.
  4. Test the fit. Place the chip into the cavity without glue first. It should sit flush with the surface of the card so payment terminals can read it cleanly. Adjust if needed. Make sure the open border side of the chip is on top. It is always on top. All chips have a chip surface pattern with a boundary that is open.
  5. Glue it in place. Apply a single thin drop of B7000 glue to the cavity, set the chip in place with the contact pads facing up and flush with the card surface, and press gently. Wipe away any excess glue immediately. Make sure the open border side of the chip is on the top side.
  6. Let it cure. Leave the card undisturbed for the full cure time recommended on your adhesive (usually a few hours). Don't rush this part.
  7. Test it. Once cured, insert your card into a chip reader to confirm it works. You now have a fully functional metal card.

Will my metal card tap?

Our full-metal cards work with chip (insert) payments, where you slot the card into the reader. They do not support contactless tap, because solid metal blocks the wireless signal a tap payment relies on. If you specifically want a card you can tap, look for our dedicated Tap to Pay cards, which are built with a special construction and a built-in antenna so they work contactlessly when you solder a chip on them. The process for contactless is much more complex and not the same.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move the chip again later? Yes, though each transplant adds wear. The chip is happiest staying in one card once installed.

What if I damage the chip? If the chip stops working, you can order a replacement card from your bank and repeat the process with the new chip.

Do I need any special tools? No. Everything you need is inexpensive and available at most hardware or craft stores.

Does this work with any bank? The physical process is the same for any standard chip card. The chip carries your existing card's details, so it keeps working exactly as it did before (if you didn't burn or damage the chip).

Caring for your metal card

Stainless steel is durable and won't rust or warp. Wipe it with a soft cloth to keep it shining. Mirror and high-gloss finishes can show fine surface marks over time with heavy daily wallet use, which is normal for any polished metal product.

Still have questions? Reach out to us any time and we'll be glad to help you get set up.