Chinese billionaire Liu Jingkang’s tech firm rewards employees with pure gold keycaps

The prized keys, including C, V, Ctrl, Shift, Enter, and Space, are made of pure gold. According to Sina, the Space key, which weighs 35 grams, is valued at around 40,000 yuan (US$5,634).

This marks the fourth consecutive year the company has provided these tangible rewards on Programmer’s Day on Oct. 24, with 55 keycaps distributed to outstanding employees. The rising price of the precious metal has seen the value of the rewards nearly triple since the program’s inception.

Known for its handheld 360-degree cameras, Insta360 employs over 1,000 people, with an average age of 28. Approximately 58% of the workforce works in the research and development department. A company spokesperson stated that R&D engineers are considered the "core force" of the company’s technological innovation, prioritising them for the gold reward program.

"The keyboard is the core tool for engineers. The golden keycaps are our way of showing gratitude," the spokesperson said. "Each keystroke turns stone into gold, each line of code is worth its weight in gold."

A golden keyboard. Photo from Instagram

In addition to the gold keycaps, R&D employees also receive healthcare gifts. The company, which has earned the nickname "Gold Factory" from Chinese netizens, also gave out gold blind boxes to all employees, including interns, in July. Employees who marry or have children receive congratulatory pure gold coins, and lucky staff members have the chance to win a 50-gram gold bar during the year-end party.

One programmer proudly displayed his complete collection, including wedding gold coins, gold for childbirth, anniversary gifts, and golden keycaps. "I am grateful that at every milestone in my life, the company has given me a golden gift," he said. "There are things that cannot be measured by money, and I will never sell these gifts."

Liu Jingkang said the gold gifts symbolize "stability, as well as talent being the most solid foundation for a tech company."

"The value of a business lies in its people, not the numbers. The company is focused on prioritising employee development, followed by customer value, with shareholder profit coming third."

The 34-year-old founder has net worth of $4.3 billion, according to Forbes.