Mark Weaden
A job posting at Walmart has sparked interest from the cryptocurrency industry, as speculations ensue
Just two weeks ago, an Amazon job posting for a cryptocurrency developer had many industry-talking heads to speculate—so much so that even the price of Bitcoin rose. While Amazon denies claims they are shifting towards digital payments for services, there is certainly evidence that the eCommerce giants may make the shift.
Walmart is a transnational distribution company and the news that it is looking for a product manager dedicated to cryptocurrencies is certainly a positive move for the wider industry. We’ve already seen major payment services such as PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard offer cryptocurrencies payments in 2021, with eCommerce and distributors presumably adjusting to the demand.
The Walmart job post
The job post is for a Cryptocurrency and Digital Currency Product Manager, stating it’s “looking for a visionary leader.” The employee would likely manage the development for the Walmart group at large; the official statement read: “You will be responsible for developing the digital currency product strategy and roadmap.“
There is a growing demand for employees in the crypto-space to fill these kinds of roles. While this isn’t the first crypto job post we’ve seen from a major company, it is significant to see that it comes from a company as well-established as Walmart, and certainly a company that isn’t often touted for its adaptability to the fintech industry.
However, this isn’t the first time Walmart and cryptocurrency have been mentioned in the same sentence. Back in 2019, Walmart China partnered with VeChain (VET) to enable tracking of food supplies throughout the company. As well as that, the supermarket chain is connected to a Hyperledger project, which is open-sourced and promotes blockchain technology within businesses, with high-flying cryptocurrency Cardano (ADA) a major player in the project.
There is still much work to be done for cryptocurrency, as it recovers from a huge dive in price that started back in May. But, more important than price, we’re seeing a clear appreciation for the value of crypto, as companies recognize the direction things are going in. Walmart making an early move is a smart financial decision and one we expect many more companies to do in the not-so-distant future.
