Apple and Google seek staff with stablecoin expertise

Apple and Google are looking for new employees with knowledge of stablecoins and blockchain. Job postings published by both companies show that they are investigating the possibilities of digital assets in their payments and financial services. There are no concrete plans for their own stablecoin or a specific new service as yet, but the move into recruitment is a clear signal that both tech companies are taking the field seriously.

In brief:

• Apple is looking for a strategist for Apple Pay with knowledge of stablecoins, tokenisation and blockchain.
• Google is looking for a Web3 architect in Hong Kong with experience of stablecoin payment networks and digital custody solutions.
• Both companies are exploring digital assets, but there are no indications yet of their own stablecoin or a new service.

Apple focuses on consumer services

On 26 August Apple posted a vacancy for a Financial Product Strategy Lead within Apple Pay. The role is responsible for the medium and long-term strategy for financial services such as Apple Card and Apple Cash, and for identifying new business opportunities.

Among the desired qualifications, Apple lists knowledge of stablecoins, tokenised balances and blockchain technology. The new employee will work with the product teams of Apple Card and Apple Cash to assess growth opportunities. Those teams oversee the financial services that run through Apple Pay, from credit cards to person-to-person payments and prepaid balance services.

Google focuses on infrastructure for institutions

Via Bloomingbit, Google is looking for an Industry Principal Architect for Web3, based in Hong Kong. The role supports Google Cloud’s Web3 and digital assets activities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Google is asking for experience with the tokenisation of real-world assets, stablecoin payment networks, tokenised balances and the custody of digital assets. Knowledge of institutional systems for digital assets is also expected, including multi-party computation, hardware security modules and transaction signing architecture. The target audience for the role is blockchain protocol organisations, institutional exchanges, digital asset custodians and financial institutions that want to tokenise real-world assets. The market for tokenised real-world assets is growing rapidly in any case, as research by Binance also shows.

Where Apple appears to be looking at consumer applications, Google is focusing more on cloud and infrastructure services for financial institutions and companies in the digital assets sector. The role at Google also requires knowledge of local regulations, including those of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Securities and Futures Commission.

Stablecoins and tech companies: a broader trend

Apple and Google are not the first major tech companies to include stablecoins in their recruitment policies. Samsung Electronics previously recruited a business development manager for Samsung Wallet, listing stablecoins as an area for collaboration.

For the time being, both companies are assessing where stablecoins and tokenised balances could play a role in future payments and financial services. The vacancies show that interest is growing, but they do not yet prove that Apple or Google intends to issue its own stablecoin or launch a specific new service.