Chinese tech firm gifts staff gold keycaps as bonus; heaviest one worth US$45,000
Boss says company offers gold not for monetary value, but for symbolic ‘stability’ as firm’s strength is based on talented workforce
A Chinese tech company has been rewarding its employees with gold keycaps as a bonus for four consecutive years, earning their appreciation for “helping them manage wealth.”
The firm, Insta360, based in Shenzhen, in southern Guangdong province, recently honoured several outstanding employees by gifting them 21 gold keycaps to celebrate Programmer’s Day in China on October 24.
The heaviest keycap, the space key, weighs 35.02 grams and is currently valued at around 320,000 yuan (US$45,000).
Insta360 has consistently provided gold keycaps as a Programmer’s Day bonus, totalling 55 keycaps over the years. The value of these gold bonuses has more than doubled since the first year due to rising gold prices.
A prominent brand in consumer 360-degree cameras, Insta360 rivals GoPro, even outperforming it in some reviews. In the Chinese tech industry, the company is colloquially known as the “gold factory” because of its tradition of providing gold bonuses to employees.
To commemorate its 10-year anniversary in July, the company gifted all employees and interns a “gold blind box” containing pure gold stickers adorned with various designs, each weighing 0.36 grams. The gift was imbued with “emotional value,” accompanied by a message stating, “All that glitters is not only gold, but also you.”
For employees who recently married or welcomed a baby, the company offers a pure gold coin weighing one gram. During the latest year-end party, a 50-gram 999 gold bar was presented as the grand prize.