In May 2021, the e-commerce platform eBay had announced that it would start selling non-fungible tokens (NFT). This month, it was Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy who confessed to being interested in NFTs, more so than cryptocurrencies.
Amazon and cryptos are not for tomorrow
While rumors about cryptocurrency payments on Amazon have had the wind in their sails, a recent interview with Jeff Bezos’ successor clarifies Amazon’s position on the subject. Indeed the new CEO of Amazon, Andy Jassy on the occasion of an interview given to CNBC made it known that the e-commerce giant was “probably not ready to accept cryptocurrencies”. He thus stated:
“We’re probably not about to add crypto as a payment method in our retail business, but I think over time you’ll see crypto become more important.”
Yet, in 2021, Amazon had signified interest in cryptocurrencies by seeking to recruit an expert in digital assets, and blockchain. Through this recruitment, Amazon wanted to develop its “strategy and product roadmap” around new technologies.
In addition, Andy Jassy stated that he does not personally own Bitcoin (BTC) or NFT, but that he is optimistic about the future of these digital products.
Amazon would be interested in selling NFTs
When it comes to NFTs, Amazon’s CEO wasn’t as adamant as he was about cryptocurrency payments. First, he pointed to the meteoric growth of non-fungible tokens and their medium-term potential before adding:
“I think it’s possible on the platform’s roadmap.”
However, Andy Jassy did not reveal any concrete plans to add NFT sales to Amazon. The e-commerce giant is still in the thinking stages, but it seems determined to integrate Web 3 technologies into its business model.
Will Amazon’s platform follow the same path as its competitor Rakuten? As a reminder, Rakuten announced in February 2022 the creation of its NFT platform, which should host non-fungible tokens in various domains: entertainment, music or even sports.
