Walmart Board Director: Crypto’s Potential Goes Beyond Financial Services

“It is clear that a gigantic shift is underway in digital currencies and financial services, and the applications extend beyond the financial sphere,” Tom Horton said to Blockworks

article-image

Blockchain.com Lead Director Tom Horton | Source: Blockchain.com

share

key takeaways

  • Tom Horton is on the board at Walmart and Blockchain.com and is a partner at investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners and at General Electric
  • “I see blockchain technologies as another great enabler, much like the internet was in its early days,” Horton said

Crypto financial services firm Blockchain.com is no stranger to blockchain technology and its growing demand, but one of its newest board members, Tom Horton, who is also Walmart’s lead independent director, told Blockworks he sees this as just the beginning. 

“Major institutions and traditional banks are also engaging with crypto,” Horton said. “But it’s clear this is a powerful and constructive technology with enormous growth potential over the next few years and beyond.”

As the regulatory landscape around the industry continues to evolve, so are new use cases from NFTs to gaming and sports to supply chain, Horton said. “Consumer interest is strong and that helps drive new vectors of innovation and adoption,” he said.

The energy within this space will create ripple effects through every industry, beyond the obvious ones of banking, fintech and e-commerce, he said.

The more I learn, I see blockchain technologies as another great enabler, much like the internet was in its early days,” Horton said. “The enthusiasm and pace of innovation in this new ecosystem is astonishing, which, at its core, strikes me as being about freedom and removing friction.”

While this is his first venture into the blockchain realm, it’s not his first involvement with a fast-growing company, he said. 

In addition to his role at Walmart and Blockchain.com, he is a partner at investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners and at General Electric. He was formerly lead director of tech firm Qualcomm and chairman and CEO of American Airlines.

“All of this is relevant to work I do with other boards and to infrastructure investing,” Horton said. “It’s important to have an understanding of how [this technology] works and its impact on global commerce.”

“I’m fascinated by blockchain technology and its growing array of use cases,” Horton said. “A gigantic shift is underway in digital currencies and financial services, and the applications extend beyond the financial sphere.”

Walmart filed patent applications for virtual goods, including electronics, decor, toys, sporting goods and personal care products, at the end of December 2021, CNBC reported. The retail giant also filed for patents on a digital currency as well as NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

A Walmart spokesperson declined to comment further on the patent filings or crypto when contacted by Blockworks on Wednesday. 

Horton didn’t elaborate on the filings or whether the retail giant plans to integrate any blockchain or crypto-related products or services into its 10,500 stores this year. However, he said, “every large enterprise, retail and otherwise, must be sharp on this emerging ecosystem and the opportunities it represents to better serve customers.”

Overall, Horton said he’s a “big believer” in the power of free, fair and global commerce to lift living standards globally.

“There is a huge shift underway and I’m excited to be part of it with the best people in the space,” he shared.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Brooklyn, NY

SUN - MON, JUN. 22 - 23, 2025

Blockworks and Cracked Labs are teaming up for the third installment of the Permissionless Hackathon, happening June 22–23, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 36-hour IRL builder sprint where developers, designers, and creatives ship real projects solving real problems across […]

recent research

Research Report Templates (19).png

Research

Suilend has grown into the top money market and liquid staking provider on Sui. STEAMM, Suilend’s Superfluid AMM, presents a compelling avenue for growing market share within Sui’s DEX landscape and revenue generation for the protocol. Suilend’s multi-product suite position it well for owning market share across key verticals. While current metrics across the Sui ecosystem are likely inflated due to Sui Foundation incentive programs, SEND trades at amongst the lowest multiples in the lend/borrow sector, suggesting that a bull case for continued growth in the ecosystem may be mispriced.

article-image

The stablecoin issuer now plans to offer 32 million Class A common stock shares at a price of up to $28 each

article-image

Let’s go whale watching, Bitcoin style: Investigating the mysterious “12ib7” wallet now worth $3.2 billion

article-image

Bitget’s L2 is undergoing a leadership change and will be helmed by Colin Goltra, formerly the blockchain’s chief growth officer

article-image

The funding was spread out across 61 rounds, a slight dip in both number of rounds and total funding in comparison to other months

article-image

Why is it controversial to say things are better than they used to be?

article-image

Wallchain could make influencer ROI more measurable for Solana businesses