Kroger isn’t accepting bitcoin as payment at any of its stores, with the grocery chain on Friday refuting a information launch posted on its web site as pretend.
Kroger mentioned in a tweet that the announcement — which appeared on its investor relations web page and on PR Newswire, a public relations service — claiming that clients may pay with Bitcoin Money was “fraudulent” and “should be disregarded.”
Kroger is the second main employer to fall prey to a phony media launch associated to cryptocurrency. In September, a press launch was posted on GlobeNewswire claiming that Walmart would settle for Litecoin, one other standard cryptocurrency, as payment at its stores. CNBC, Reuters and different media shops reported the story, which turned out to be false as Walmart denied any partnership with Litecoin. The retailer mentioned it is investigating how the pretend press launch appeared on GlobeNewswire, Reuters reported.
GlobeNewswire informed CNBC that the Litecoin state of affairs was an remoted incident. “This has never happened before, and we have already put in place enhanced authentication steps to prevent this isolated incident from occurring in the future,” a spokesperson with the agency told CNBC.
Cryptocurrencies proceed to develop in reputation, drawing the eye of massive monetary firms, banks and federal regulators. Regardless of their drastic worth swings, together with considerations over fraud and the impression on the surroundings, digital currencies are additionally step by step getting into the mainstream. Starbucks, Visa and Entire Meals are only a few of the foremost retailers that now accept bitcoin as payment.
Bitcoin Money, which debuted in 2017, differs from bitcoin primarily in that it will possibly accommodate a higher variety of transactions. It’s being marketed to crypto traders as being a extra sensible digital forex that permits sooner transactions with decrease charges. Bitcoin Money was buying and selling at about $600 on Friday, in line with CoinMarketCap.
Kroger’s inventory worth fell 3% in afternoon buying and selling Friday to about $42 a share.
