Credstick

Credsticks are small cylindrical objects slightly bigger than a marking pen that are part ID badge, part credit card, and part passkey. Credsticks have largely replaced cash and credit cards as the primary form of cash transaction in the Sixth World. While different credsticks have different functions, nearly all are used as a cash device and as a convenient form of identification. Some credsticks have beacons which can receive and transmit identification information, to save the time and hassle of running the credstick through a reader, at the cost of losing some privacy.

By 2070, credsticks have largely been replaced by direct transfers between commlinks and online accounts, with only certified credsticks still seeing much use.

Security Values

The value that a credstick is authorized to transfer is based on its "color", which also determines the level of biometric security needed to verify it:

• Standard credsticks can authorize up to 5,000¥ and require a passcode or PIN
• Silver credsticks can authorize up to 20,000¥ and require a fingerprint scan
• Gold credsticks can authorize up to 200,000¥ and require a voiceprint
• Platinum credsticks can authorize up to 1,000,000¥ and require a cellular or DNA scan

Rumors indicate that an even higher level of security and transaction threshold called "Black Pearl" exists, but such credsticks would be impractical for daily use by even the most careless moneywasting consumer.

Information Retrieval

Credsticks are often used to verify and retrieve personal information, including:

• Security/Biometric Patterns - most common for verification at security stations
• Financial Records
• Transaction Logs - may be manually erased at any time, provides convenient financial tracking information for personal finance
• Permits and Licenses - anything from gun permits to driver's licenses can be stored on a credstick
• Contracts
• Medical History - Invaluable in case of a medical emergency

Certified Credsticks

Similar to the old-style gift cards, certified credsticks are guaranteed for a certain amount of cash, with limited financial tracking logs. It carries little to no identification, and can be used just as easily as other standard credstick transactions, without the hassle (or the safety) of verification.

It is said that criminals such as shadowrunners often deal with certified credsticks in payment for their services to avoid tracking and detection.

References

• Sprawl Survival Guide pp 38-39
• Shadowrun - Core Rules - 4th Edition pp 36