Applications and Use Cases

Amazon Job Listing Confirms Blockchain and Digital Currency Strategies


July 28, 2021

Amazon is dipping its toes into the blockchain and cryptocurrency spaces with the announcement of a new job listing for its payments team. The company is hiring a digital currency and blockchain product lead for the team, in what may be the first step in the company's acceptance of digital currency.

According to the job listing, which has been verified by Amazon, the company is seeking an "experienced product leader to develop Amazon's Digital Currency and Blockchain strategy and product roadmap." Amazon doesn't currently accept cryptocurrency, although a company spokesperson said the ecommerce giant has been inspired by innovation in the space and wants to investigate how it could benefit Amazon.

The new job listing indicates Amazon has a renewed interest in the potential of blockchain and cryptocurrency. Rumors were sparked earlier this week when City.am reported Amazon was aiming to accept Bitcoin payments by the end of the year and was also investigating its own digital token for 2022, as well as accepting other cryptocurrencies.

Amazon has since denied the report. "Notwithstanding our interest in the space, the speculation that has ensued around our specific plans for cryptocurrencies is not true," a spokesperson from Amazon told Reuters. "We remain focused on exploring what this could look like for customers shopping on Amazon."

The new hire would leverage their domain experience in blockchain, distributed ledger, central bank digital currencies and cryptocurrency, according to the listing. The person would develop the case for capabilities that should be developed as well as drive overall vision and product strategy, ultimately gaining leadership buy-in and investment for new capabilities.

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company's cloud division, already offers a managed blockchain service. CEO Andy Jassy, who lead the AWS division in 2017, said at the time that the company was watching the blockchain space but didn't see any practical uses for the technology outside of using a distributed ledger.




Edited by Luke Bellos

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