Global payment services provider and Fortune 500 company, Visa, is showing signs that cryptocurrency and blockchain will be part of the company’s future.
According to a job posting on recruitment platform SmartRecruiters, Visa is looking for an individual passionate about payments and cryptocurrency, and is already well-connected in the cryptocurrency and fintech industry.
“Are you passionate about the intersection of payments and cryptocurrency? Are you deeply familiar with permissionless blockchain technology and have a close network of experts in the fast moving cryptocurrency and fintech ecosystem?” the job listing reads. “Are you excited about the challenge of developing new products for Visa to deliver value to fintechs looking to support cryptocurrencies?”
The role at Visa will require the successful applicant to execute Visa’s product strategy for its cryptocurrency-oriented products; linking different departments of Visa from research and engineering to bring these products to market.
The job listing also asks for someone familiar with permissionless blockchains. This is initially surprising given that permissionless systems are typically used in open and public settings. Banks, payment providers, and institutional applications generally favor private permissioned systems as they offer greater security, control, and scalability over their permissionless counterparts.
But given that Visa and IBM announced a partnership last year, in which they will use Ethereum tech to redress the global payments industry, it’s more understandable.
Even so, the Australian bank that tracked 17,000 kilos of almonds on the blockchain used a private Ethereum-based protocol. So in Visa’s case, we’ll have to wait to see if any of its systems actually are permissionless – or just built on traditionally permissionless tech.
Earlier this month, Hard Fork also spotted that oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell is recruiting graduates for the role of “blockchain analyst,” along with Visa’s latest listing, there is a further evidence to support the growing trend that the biggest blockchain employers are large multi-national, old school corporate firms.
Want to find out more about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology? Check out our Hard Fork track at TNW 2019!
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