Amazon could launch an NFT marketplace as soon as April, according to sources

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(Kitco News) – Rumors that Amazon plans to launch its own NFT marketplaces have received further confirmation based on a Friday email received by Nikhilesh De, CoinDesk’s managing editor for global policy and regulation, which appears to confirm the existence of digital tokens and a gallery on the e-commerce platform.

According to a report from CoinDesk, you received a confirmation email after an Amazon Prime Video channel subscription was automatically renewed.

“Good news! Your order has been completed and your digital token is now in your gallery,” the email said. “Please note that you will not be able to resell it until it is unlocked. If your item is not unlocked within 72 hours, please contact customer support. You must also register as a dealer before posting an NFT for sale.”

This simple email is full of details, including the fact that Amazon will support NFT technology, has a dedicated support team to help answer questions, and will allow users to sign up as NFT creators and resellers.

CoinDesk reported that they had not purchased any NFTs from Amazon and had no prior knowledge of the platform’s plans to integrate NFTs, so it is a mystery why he received this email in the first place.

So far you have not been able to access the digital tokens and the links in the email seem to be broken. It is unclear how NFTs are connected to this subscription renewal, although both the email and a transaction confirmation were received around the same time.

Amazon has yet to respond to any inquiries about the email.

Rumors of the e-commerce retailer’s NFT plans first surfaced in late January when reports began circulating that it was developing an NFT platform in stealth mode and could launch it as early as spring 2023.

Amazon was said to be pitching its new digital collectibles platform to various players in the crypto ecosystem, including tier-1 blockchains, blockchain-based gaming startups, developers and digital asset exchanges, by a source familiar with the matter.

The main focus of the new offering will reportedly be on blockchain-based games and related NFT applications, including an application specifically designed to entice Amazon customers to play crypto games and claim free NFTs in the process.

A source believes that Amazon will make an official announcement about the platform in April, but so far it has been tight-lipped about its plans. According to a report by Web3 media company The Big Whale, the new platform has been dubbed “Amazon Digital Marketplace” and will be available to US citizens starting April 24.

The Big Whale said Amazon planned to launch the digital marketplace earlier, but those plans were delayed by the collapse of FTX and subsequent ecosystem-wide fallout. After the platform is opened to users in the US, access will gradually be opened to the rest of the world.

The retail giant has waded deeper into the cryptocurrency ecosystem over the past year.

Last April, Amazon CEO Andy Jassey signaled that the company was exploring the integration of NFTs under a interview with CNBC, saying, “I expect NFTs to continue to grow very significantly. We’re probably not close to adding crypto as a payment mechanism to our retail. But I think you’ll see crypto over time [an option] … it is possible down the road.”

In September, the European Central Bank selected Amazon as one of five technology partners to help it develop a digital euro prototype, with Amazon handling the development of e-commerce payments within the project.

And in January, Amazon Web Services (AWS) partnered with Ava Labs, the development company behind the tier-1 blockchain platform Avalanche (AVAX), with the goal of scaling blockchain adoption for businesses, institutions and governments. Ava Labs also joined the AWS Partner Network (APN), which enables the firm to “help customers deploy customized offerings on AWS connected to more than 100,000 partners in more than 150 countries.”