Online vendors are selling soil from outside banks, claiming it brings wealth and prosperity
Chinese online sellers are offering ‘bank soil,’ collected from outside major banks, promising financial fortune to buyers.
A new online trend in China has sparked both fascination and criticism as vendors claim to sell soil collected from outside major banks, promising buyers wealth and good fortune. The so-called "bank soil" is being sold at prices as high as 888 yuan ( ₹10,200) per portion, reported the South China Morning Post.
Sellers claim the soil is sourced from green belts outside financial institutions, potted plants inside bank lobbies, and even dust from money counting machines. One vendor offers four types of soil, allegedly collected from five major Chinese banks—Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of Communications. The cheapest portion is priced at 24 yuan ( ₹275).
A sales representative explained, “This soil is manually collected from the five major banks and is believed to enhance wealth and dissolve bad energy, though we cannot scientifically prove this.” They added that the soil is gathered at night from different banks rather than a single location.
Different sellers have their own unique selling points. One claims to collect the soil only at noon, while another asserts that their product has a "999.999 percent success rate in generating wealth." Some shops have even shared videos showing soil being dug up near bank entrances to verify authenticity.
In one such video, a man holds a container of soil outside a bank and announces, “Boss Liu from Guangdong, your soil is ready.” Another clip shows a seller scooping soil with a spoon and placing it onto a golden plate, with multiple plates labeled with customers’ contact details.
The ongoing trend
The trend has drawn buyers, including business owners hoping for financial prosperity. An anonymous customer told Red Star News that they purchased the soil in hopes of boosting their business, adding that many of their friends have done the same.
However, legal experts have raised concerns. Fu Jian, a lawyer from Zejin Law Firm, stated that if vendors are falsely claiming the soil is from bank premises or promising financial benefits without proof, it could be considered fraud. He added that consumers have the right to request refunds.
Additionally, Chinese regulations prohibit the destruction of urban green spaces, including digging up soil from public areas.
The unusual product has sparked widespread amusement on social media. One user mocked, “Laughing out loud, what is this bank soil? I work at a bank, and I have to bring my own soil from home to plant flowers in the office.” Another joked, “I live next to a bank, so why has my fortune not improved?”
A third user remarked, “Bank soil might not be authentic, but the ‘intelligence tax’ is definitely real.”
