Walmart is getting serious about the metaverse

Walmart’s recent trademark applications suggest that it wants to break into the metaverse. | Photo by Yichuan Cao / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Walmart appears to be getting ready for a leap into the metaverse. Recent trademark applications indicate the company is looking to establish its own NFTs and cryptocurrency, according to a report from CNBC.

The retail giant filed for several trademarks on December 30th, suggesting plans to start selling virtual goods, including electronics, toys, appliances, sporting equipment, apparel, home decor, and more, as noted by CNBC. There’s mention of offering customers a digital currency, as well as the opportunity to buy and sell NFTs. Meanwhile, another application details possible “physical fitness training services” and “classes in the field of health and nutrition” that could take place in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality environments (VR) — the company made a separate filing for the use of its name and logo in VR and AR.

As pointed out by Bloomberg, Walmart also filed trademarks for the names “Verse to Home,” “Verse to Curb,” and “Verse to Store,” a hint that Walmart may be preparing a virtual shopping experience (that hopefully doesn’t look like the one created for the company in 2017). The filings are publicly available on the US Patent and Trademark Office’s site, some of which are listed under the name “Walmart Connect,” the retailer’s digital advertising endeavor. You can access the filings by searching for “Walmart” or “Walmart Connect” on the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS).

“Walmart is continuously exploring how emerging technologies may shape future shopping experiences,” Walmart spokesperson Carrie McKnight told The Verge. “We don’t have anything further to share today, but it’s worth noting we routinely file trademark applications as part of the innovation process.”

Last August, Walmart posted a job listing for a cryptocurrency product specialist, one of the first signs of Walmart’s growing interest in the metaverse. Other retailers are taking part in the metaverse movement as well, with Nike looking to cash in on NFTs and virtual sneakers, Adidas selling out of its Into the Metaverse NFT collection, and Gap offering NFTs of its hoodies.