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0 CommentsWalmart, the largest U.S. retailer by total sales, is looking to hire a “digital currency and cryptocurrency product lead” to “own and drive the digital currency strategy,” following Amazon looking for ways to let customers pay for goods with cryptocurrencies, which could be a promising development for the crypto community.
According to Walmart’s careers page, the North American retail giant is looking for someone who has at least 10 years of experience in leading and scaling businesses as well as product/program management and technology-based product commercialization. The employee should have expertise in cryptocurrencies and blockchain-related technologies and in-depth knowledge of the crypto ecosystem and its core actors.
The company is seeking a senior director based in Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, who will “identify customer needs and translate them into product requirements” as well as identify crypto-related investment and partnerships.
It is unclear at this point whether Walmart’s implementation of cryptocurrency payment solutions will involve the use of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. But the position’s listing marks a decisive turn for the traditionally conservative global commerce giant, whose products and services are ubiquitous in the U.S.
Two years ago, Walmart applied for a patent on price-stable crypto similar to Facebook’s nascent project, then called Libra. Earlier this year, Walmart created a fintech unit called Hazel, which could reportedly be poised to offer a wide range of financial services integrated into a “mobile-first ‘super-app.‘” Walmart has also experimented with distributed ledger technology for nonfinancial uses, such as tracking drugs and food along the supply chain.
Walmart is not alone in seeking to integrate digital currency into its e-commerce and wider business strategy. Earlier, Amazon had stirred interest in the crypto sector when it said it was recruiting for a similar high-level position.
