Has China launched a coin-sized nuclear battery that delivers 50 years of energy without recharge? Fact Check
Claim : China unveils coin-sized nuclear battery that delivers 50 years of continuous energy without recharging.
Conclusion : The claim is true. Beijing-based Betavolt has developed and begun mass-producing the BV100 since 2024, a coin-sized nuclear battery that uses Nickel-63 betavoltaic technology to provide up to 50 years of stable, low-power electricity without recharging or maintenance.
Rating : True 
Several social media users have claimed that China has unveiled a coin size nuclear battery. Verified X user ‘Kekius_Sage’ made such a post, claiming that China has unveiled a coin-sized nuclear battery that provides 50 years of continuous energy without recharging. Accompanying the post are two images, one of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the other one seems like a coin like device with ‘Betavolt’ written. The post as gained 4.1 million views and can be seen below –
Other users have shared similar claims that can be seen here and here
FACT CHECK
DigitEYE India decided to investigate this claim and found that it is true. Beijing based Betavolt since 2024 has developed and started mass production of the BV100, a coin sized nuclear battery powered by Nickel 63 betavoltaic technology. According to confirmed reports, it can deliver stable, low power electricity for up to 50 years without requiring recharging or maintenance.
We first conducted a web search with the phrase “China releases coin-sized nuclear battery” to learn more. The search took us to a report published by Battery Technology on January 17, 2024 that notes, “Betavolt is a Chinese company claiming that the new atomic energy battery can generate electricity stably and autonomously for 50 years without charging or maintenance.” The report further states that “Betavolt’s team of scientists developed a unique single-crystal diamond semiconductor that is just 10µ thick, and by placing a 2µ thick nickel-63 sheet(radioactive isotope) between two diamond semiconductor converters, the decay energy of the radioactive source happens and that is converted into an electrical current, forming an independent unit.”
The company also talks about absolute safety without any external radiation, making it suitable for medical devices like pacemakers, artificial hearts, and cochlear implants. These batteries undergo a decay period in which the radioactive nickel-63 isotope transforms into a non-radioactive copper isotope. This eliminates environmental threats or pollution.
View a section from the report below. Or Complete report here.
Following this, we came across another report by World Nuclear News that uses the same image as shown in the claim. This report mentions “The first battery that the company plans to launch is the BV100, which it claims will be the world’s first nuclear battery to be mass-produced.” In terms of size, the battery measures “15mm by 15mm and 5 mm thick… can generate 100 microwatts, with a voltage of 3V.” View a section below –
Next, we searched more about the current plans for mass production and its current status. A recent article by Slashgear also confirms that “coin-sized BV100, as it’s called, uses nickel-63 as a power source to generate 100 microwatts at 3 volts.” However, in terms of 1 watt version in 2025 for mass production, the report states that Betavolt “announced plans to unveil a 1-watt version in 2025, although it’s unclear whether that ever happened.”
Other reports by The Indian Express published in April 2025 also confirm that this coin sized nuclear battery exists.
While this was launched in 2024, the information in the claim is true.
