Bank soil sold on e-commerce platforms Photo: Screenshot from media reports

Recently,MK sport some merchants on Chinese e-commerce platforms have begun selling "bank soil," claiming that soil collected near banks can attract wealth and enhance financial luck. However, due to the lack of scientific basis and potential legal risks, multiple platforms have since removed these product listings.

Bank soil is collected from bank entrances, nearby landscaping areas, or even potted plants in bank lobbies. According to some merchants, banks are seen as hubs of wealth accumulation, making the soil from these locations supposedly imbued with mystical properties to attract wealth and change one's financial fortune, The Paper reported.

These products are categorized by bank type and geographic location, with pricing depending on the claimed potency of the soil. Most are priced between 20 yuan ($2.7) to 70 yuan ($9.6), with hundreds of products sold, according to The Paper.

Some sellers offer bundled packages containing soil from China's five largest state-owned commercial banks, while others promote "auspicious date and time" collection services. Some sellers even offer "customized services," collecting soil on-site while chanting and providing video proof of the ritual. To deter returns, sellers warn buyers that "inviting wealth shouldn't be returned," even claiming a wealth-generation rate of 999.999 percent.

Experts criticize this trend as exploitative, targeting consumers' superstitions and financial anxieties. By marketing ordinary soil at inflated prices under the guise of "wealth talismans," which could constitute fraud and expose buyers to financial loss and potential privacy risks, the report said. 

The practice carries both ethical and legal concerns, since unauthorized collection of soil from bank premises may infringe on property rights or violate environmental regulations. 

As of recently, major e-commerce and social media platforms have taken down product listings, tutorials, and promotional content related to bank soil, according to The Paper.

Global Times-The Paper