Walmart is looking to hire a new senior director to develop new digital currency products, possibly including cryptocurrency payments, according to a listing on the company’s job site (via Bloomberg). The move mirrors a similar interest shown by Walmart’s sworn enemy Amazon, which wants to hire someone to head up cryptocurrency products.
The new Walmart senior director position will serve as the company’s “Cryptocurrency and Digital Currency Product Lead,” in charge of “developing the digital currency strategy and product roadmap.” Among other responsibilities, the listing says this new role will also be focused on “identify[ing] crypto related investment and partnerships,” suggesting Walmart might buy its way into preexisting cryptocurrency businesses as well.
This shouldn’t be too surprising. Even though Amazon denied claims it was preparing to start accepting Bitcoin payments — while reiterating it’s interested in crypto — cryptocurrencies and the blockchain in general have had a bit of a moment during the pandemic.
Whether it’s the rise of blockchain-linked collectibles like NFTs (non-fungible tokens, remember them?) or major theater chains like AMC deciding they’ll accept crypto payments to appeal to their new, very online audience, people seem very interested in playing with speculative digital assets. Walmart and Amazon might just be making sure their bases are covered, but a future where they do accept alternative payment methods also feels increasingly possible.
