NCR, a leading US automated teller machine (ATM) manufacturer and payments-solutions provider, has just moved Bitcoin and friends a step yet closer to the mainstream.

The Fortune 500 company has now officially acquired the crypto-software company LibertyX after first announcing its plans to do so in August  last year.

A global crypto-adoption tipping point… is it a Thanos-like inevitability? The headlining result of the powerful partnership is the integration of crypto services into more than 750,000 ATMs in about 140 countries. Snap!

Sports-related sponsorship news might be dominating the crypto-adoption scene in Australia over the past few days, with the Aussie Open and the AFL dipping quite a bit more than a big toe in, but 750k ATMs offering crypto integration is pretty hard to beat for globally expansive reach.

LibertyX already has strong partnerships with independent ATM operators, with presence in US supermarkets, pharmacies, and convenience stores. The crypto-software company has been operating and providing its Bitcoin-transactional services in more than 10,000 ATMs across America.

Speaking on the acquisition, Don Layden, EVP & President, Payments & Network, NCR Corporation, said:

“The completion of this transaction enhances our ability to provide digital currency solutions and capabilities that help run our customers’ businesses.”

According to a press release, the partnership will accelerate NCR’s plan to deliver crypto payments across digital and physical (restaurants, retailers, banks) locations, further enable crypto investing, and facilitate cross-border crypto remittances.

 

Walmart’s metaverse connection

Meanwhile, strong rumours abound that US retail titan Walmart has plans to enter the metaverse and crypto in a big way.

The company has reportedly submitted a total of seven patent filings, which indicate it has plans to create its own digital currency and NFT collection.

According to a CNBC report and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Walmart filed the applications on December 30. Apparently some of the trademark filings reveal that the retailer intends to make and sell virtual goods, including electronics, home decorations, toys, sporting goods and personal care products.

In a statement, Walmart said it is “continuously exploring how emerging technologies may shape future shopping experiences.”

“We are testing new ideas all the time,” the company said. “Some ideas become products or services that make it to customers. And some we test, iterate, and learn from.”