Walmart plans to offer cryptocurrency, NFTs, filing reveals
In August, Walmart launched a search for a digital currency and cryptocurrency product lead
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Walmart has revealed plans to offer cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, in a new filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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The Dec. 30 filing, listed under the retailer's digital advertising business "Walmart Connect," outlines a financial transaction service involving cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, and blockchain technology that will be used by members of an online community via a global computer network.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 88.38 | +1.19 | +1.36% |
"Walmart is continuously exploring how emerging technologies may shape future shopping experiences," a spokesperson told FOX Business. "We don’t have anything further to share today, but it’s worth noting we routinely file trademark applications as part of the innovation process."
The filing comes after Walmart issued a job posting in August seeking a digital currency and cryptocurrency product lead. A month later, the retailer fell victim to a fake press release which stated it would offer a new payment option using Litecoin.
In October, the company also launched a pilot program in partnership with Coinstar and CoinMe which allowed customers to purchase Bitcoin at 200 ATMs in its stores across the United States.
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In addition to diving deeper into crypto and NFTs, the retailer appears to be laying the groundwork to enter the metaverse, a virtual reality space where users can interact with each other in a computer-generated environment.
Separate applications called "Verse to Store", "Verse to Curb" and "Verse to Home", reveal plans for door-to-door shopping services and online ordering, while another filing seeks trademarks for the Walmart name and "fireworks" logo for health-care services and education in virtual and augmented reality.
CNBC was first to report the patent filings.