Badges - do you exchange them for something

Do you just need to have some badges in your inventory or there are/will be some items that require you to give badges for them.

 

Currency in vendors is shrapnel badges are for access only.

 

As of now, badges don't need to be turned in anywhere.

For some purposes, you need to carry badges in your inventory (e.g. acquiring Rank 2 daily missions (mining) requires having 200 badges in inventory, temp boffins also wanted to see you carrying badges). This is a bit lame but I just put 200 badges into a vehicle and retrieve them only when talking to the NPC.

And then there's this post by Kris:

...which hints that, in the future, there might be an opportunity to exchange badges for some credit with other factions, probably not at 1:1 rate though.

 

ty I read that and then kind of forgot it but remember some of it. So I can start collecting badges and not worry that I will have too many

 

Are the badges in any way lootable?

I would assume not, but today I found myself anxiously worried.
I traveled to another planet to retrieve a set of plates from storage.
After landing, I realized I had forgotten to return my badges to storage and taken all of them with me.
Fortunately I met no [pick your favorite word] in space, therefore I wasn't shot or looted.
I was particularly nervous about the possibility (however remote) of losing these, considering how difficult they are to replace.

Has anyone tested? Perhaps on the Ngu Volcano?




edit: my apologies, as this is not exactly on topic, but I'm still a little spooked.

On topic - I do hope more uses (and more types of uses) become available

 

Tested in lootable pvp, space, dropping it, trade terminal.
You cant get rid of those badges