Those $1 Bitcoins at Walmart have one big catch | Computing
Walmart selling Bitcoin should be pretty huge news as it would mean introducing the flagship cryptocurrency to the masses in hitherto unheard-of fashion. However, this digital money debut isn’t quite so impactful because the Bitcoins that Walmart has priced at just $1 per coin won’t help you make a fortune or buy something illicit on the dark web. These Bitcoins are made of chocolate.
Created by Frankford Candy, the chocolate Bitcoins look like every digital rendering of the virtual currency you’ve ever seen, as per TechCrunch. Big, gold-plated, chunky coins. Instead of being metal through and through though, they’re merely wrapped in it. Inside it’s the same chocolate coins you know and (maybe) love, but these ones look like Bitcoin.
Lots of Milk Chocolate + Bitcoins = Pure happiness. pic.twitter.com/4Tos2JqCHf
— Frankford Candy (@frankfordcandy) September 6, 2018
The coins come in the typical net packing with a label making it quite clear that they’re a confectionery and not legal tender. They do feature the Bitcoin logo though, giving them a suitably crypto-feel. Likely to be more popular among adults than the typical children chocolate coins attract, it seems likely that at least one well-meaning relative will buy these for a grandchild after hearing them discuss cryptocurrencies.
Unlike the real cryptocurrency though, these “Bitcoins” can only be purchased in store, with no option for online ordering or shipping. You can’t even reserve some for pick up in store later on.
Meanwhile, the real Bitcoin cryptocurrency isn’t’ faring so well. After peaking at almost $20,000 per token in late 2017, it’s tumbled down to a mere $6,250 per token at the time of writing. Other alternative cryptocurrencies (altcoins) like Litecoin and Ethereum have suffered similar fates, falling to a fraction of their worth at their peaks around the same time as Bitcoin’s value explosion at the end of last year.
The future of Bitcoin itself remains somewhat uncertain. The “whales” who own billions of dollars worth of it continue to horde the cryptocurrency in anticipation of a potential bull rush and there are many more lower-level investors hoping for the same, but there has been little sign of a true resurgence so far this year.
Perhaps investing in chocolate coins is a safer bet. You can always eat those if they don’t go up in value.