Walmart Fully Embraces Crypto Payments: A Silent Revolution in Financial Sovereignty

On January 5, 2026, global retail giant Walmart officially announced the integration of cryptocurrencies into its payment system, supporting mainstream assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. This news hit the crypto market like a boulder into the sea, instantly stirring waves of excitement. But this transformation is far from a simple "trend-jumping" move; it is Walmart's strategic reclaiming of its financial sovereignty and a silent revolution shaking the traditional financial system.
1. Walmart's "Awakening to Financial Sovereignty": From "Cash Flow Machine" to Payment Revolution Initiator
Walmart's business model is like a precisely operating "cash flow machine": 2.3 million employees worldwide, coverage across 24 countries, annual revenue exceeding $600 billion. However, the traditional payment system has become a bottleneck to efficiency:
1. High Fees: Credit card network fees of 1.5%-3%, which are an "invisible tax" for low-margin retail, consuming billions of dollars in profits annually.
2. Long Settlement Cycles: T+1/T+2 settlement speeds greatly reduce cash flow efficiency, preventing immediate investment into supply chains.
3. Loss of Data Sovereignty: Payment data is controlled by banks and payment institutions, while Walmart, as the transaction core, cannot fully grasp customer financial profiles.
Cryptocurrency payments offer Walmart a way out:
Cost Restructuring: Stablecoins and on-chain payments reduce fees to network cost levels, enabling controllable cost optimization.
Real-Time Settlement: On-chain transactions are completed in seconds, with funds instantly flowing back, reshaping cash flow efficiency.
Data Sovereignty Return: Through its own fintech subsidiary OnePay and the launch of OnePay Cash, Walmart reclaims control over payments and user data, adding financial services like memberships and points to build a closed-loop ecosystem.
2. OnePay Cash: The "Invisible Battlefield" of Crypto Payments
OnePay Cash collaborates with crypto infrastructure provider Zerohash to enable real-time Bitcoin payments exchange and settlement. When users choose crypto payment at checkout, the system automatically converts Bitcoin at real-time exchange rates into USD, ensuring Walmart receives stable USD payments and completely avoids crypto price volatility risks. This feature now covers online and offline scenarios across the United States, marking Walmart's quiet transformation from a "retailer" to a "fintech giant."
3. Chain Reaction of Crypto Payments: Redefining the Financial Power Map
Walmart's move is not an isolated business decision but a lever to shift the structure of financial power:
1. Challenge to Banks: When the world's largest retailer bypasses traditional clearing systems, the role of banks as intermediaries will be redefined.
2. Impact on Monetary Sovereignty: Business giants freely choose settlement currencies, posing new challenges to the mandatory use of national currencies.
3. Transformation of the Crypto Industry: Walmart's entry is not a "bullish signal" but a milestone for cryptocurrencies moving from the "financial fringe" to the "business core."
4. Rise of Stablecoins: The Underlying Fuel for Crypto Payments
The feasibility of crypto payments depends on the explosive growth of stablecoins:
In 2025, stablecoin trading volume exceeded $4.6 trillion, covering cross-border payments, DeFi, institutional settlements, and more.
Market capitalization surpassed $310 billion, with giants like Amazon and eBay integrating stablecoin payments.
Coinbase predicts stablecoin market cap could reach $1.2 trillion by 2028.
Walmart's involvement further validates the technological maturity and commercial viability of crypto payments, accelerating the shift of financial power from banks to business platforms.
5. The Essence of Financial Power Rebuilding: From "Centralization" to "Multi-Centralization"
Bitcoin, as a store of value and non-sovereign settlement layer, stablecoins as commercial payment tools, national digital currencies for taxation and governance, and traditional banks transforming into compliant intermediaries—future financial systems will present a "multi-centralized" structure. This is not a disruption of the existing system but a dismantling and reorganization of power, a long-term game of "who defines money."
Conclusion: Walmart's Chess Game, the Future of Finance
Walmart's adoption of crypto payments is not about chasing trends but about reclaiming its payment sovereignty. Behind this silent revolution is a pursuit of ultimate financial efficiency and data sovereignty by a commercial giant, and a historic leap of cryptocurrencies from "alternative assets" to "foundational infrastructure."
Deep observation, independent thinking. Are you ready for the wave of crypto?
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Note: This article is based on publicly available information and analysis and does not constitute investment advice. Crypto markets are highly volatile; please assess risks rationally. #GateAI正式上线 #比特币六连涨 #Meme币板块回暖 #Meme币板块回暖 #美司法部抛售比特币 $BTC ‌$ETH $GT ‌