Has Apple bought Bitcoin?
CONFUSION surrounds talk of Apple buying Bitcoin, with rumours multiplying on social media. However, Apple has traditionally been cautious about cryptocurrencies. Unsubstantiated rumours about the tech giant snapping up about $2.5billion of Bitcoin are cropping up across social media. But, Coinmarketcap insists that "it's too early to crack open the champagne yet". The site wisely points out that, despite the "excitable tweets" there has been no official confirmation from Apple itself. Plus, the latest rumour torrent appears to be a repeat of previous, similar claims. "And a purchase has never materialised", the site adds. Brand conscious  Elsewhere, crypto commentators say that Apple is too brand conscious and unlikely to do anything so controversial, writes Bitcoinist. But, according to the same site, in May 2021 Apple posted a job seeking a business development manager dealing with "alternative payments". Applicants were expected to have had more than five years of experience working with alternative payment providers, including cryptocurrency. Apple has proceeded cautiously with cryptocurrencies, reports news agency Reuters. The company banned cryptocurrency wallets from its App Store in 2014, but later reversed the decision and now allows them. However, Apple bans mining for cryptocurrencies on iPhones and does not allow its Apple Card credit card to be used to buy digital currencies. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, 70, has described Bitcoin as the digital equivalent of gold, and the product of a mathematical miracle. He said: Gold is limited and you have to look for it; Bitcoin is the most amazing mathematical miracle. "I do not invest in Bitcoin, but I believe in it for the future." Wozniak had been addressing the Talent Land Jalisco 2021 tech conference. In 2018 he had explained: Man makes up currencies, controls them, issues new US dollars every year; Bitcoin is immune to that.  The Independent reports that, in 2020, the multi-millionaire American philanthropist and entrepreneur launched 'WOZX'. This is a cryptocurrency token developed by Efforce, a firm he partly founded. Efforce funds ventures it believes are more 'eco-friendly', the Independent adds.