Amazon is denying claims that it will start accepting Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies for payments. Citing an anonymous source, the newspaper City.am reported on July 26 that the project was “almost ready to go” and its creation had come from the top – from the company’s former CEO, Jeff Bezos himself.
According to the publication, Amazon would first accept Bitcoin, likely before the “end of the year,” before moving on to at least eight alternative currencies, including Ethereum, Cardano, and Bitcoin Cash. It was also reported that the e-commerce giant is considering developing its own digital currency.
However, in a statement to Reuters, an Amazon spokesperson denied these scenarios, saying: “The scenarios that have arisen around our specific cryptocurrency plans are not true.”
Read also: Bitcoin: Rises significantly as Amazon seeks cryptocurrency and blockchain expert
On July 22, Amazon posted a job posting seeking a cryptocurrency and blockchain specialist. The person who fills the position will join the Amazon Payments Acceptance & Experience team to “develop Amazon’s digital currency and blockchain strategy and roadmap.”
Additionally, the ad states the following: “You will leverage your domain expertise in blockchain, distributed ledgers, central bank digital currencies, and cryptocurrencies to develop the case for capabilities that need to be developed, drive the overall vision and product strategy, and gain leadership buy-in and investment for new capabilities.”
See also: Elon Musk: "I'm investing in Bitcoin and I want to see it succeed"
According to an Amazon spokesperson, the company is "interested in space" and "exploring what it could be like" for its platform customers.
Currently, the value of Bitcoin stands at $37,259.
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In May , Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company would stop accepting Bitcoin due to its high energy requirements , which caused the currency’s price to plummet . However, Musk recently reversed that stance, saying Tesla would “most likely” start accepting Bitcoin again for vehicle purchases, provided due diligence is in place and that it is primarily mined using renewable energy sources .
Information source: zdnet.com
