Walmart appears to be gearing up for a metaverse adventure. According to a report from CNBC, the corporation has filed trademark applications to build its own NFTs and cryptocurrency.
According to CNBC, the retail behemoth applied for many trademarks on December 30th, indicating that it intends to start selling virtual items such as electronics, toys, appliances, recreational equipment, fashion, home decor, and more. There’s talk of giving customers a digital currency and allowing them to buy and sell NFTs. Meanwhile, another application describes future “physical fitness training services” and “health and nutrition seminars” that might take place in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) environments – the company filed a separate application for the use of its name and logo in VR and AR.
Walmart recently filed trademarks for the terms “Verse to Home,” “Verse to Curb,” and “Verse to Store,” according to Bloomberg, implying that the corporation is working on a virtual shopping experience (hopefully not similar to the one produced for the company in 2017). The filings, some of which are listed under the moniker “Walmart Connect,” the retailer’s digital advertising venture, are publicly available on the US Patent and Trademark Office’s webpage. The filings can be found by searching the Trademark Electronic Search System for “Walmart” or “Walmart Connect” (TESS).
Walmart spokesman Carrie McKnight told The Verge, “Walmart is constantly studying how emerging technology may affect future shopping experiences.” “We don’t have anything else to say today, but it’s important remembering that trademark applications are routinely filed as part of the invention process.”
Walmart advertised a job for a cryptocurrency product specialist in August, one of the earliest signals of the retailer’s growing interest in the metaverse. Nike is attempting to cash in on NFTs and virtual sneakers, Adidas is selling out of its Into the Metaverse NFT collection, and Gap is giving NFTs of its sweatshirts.