The situation first arose when BitPay posted a tweet stating that Ripple (XRP) could now be used to buy items in games that use BitPay, including Roblox and Smite.
Popular gaming platform Roblox found itself at the center of some confusion on Tuesday after a now-deleted tweet from cryptocurrency payment processor BitPay claimed that Ripple’s XRP could be used to make in-game purchases. The unsubstantiated claims rapidly spread across social media, leading many users to speculate that Roblox may be integrating cryptocurrency payments.
BitPay Tweet Spreads Misinformation
The situation first arose when BitPay posted a tweet stating that XRP, a cryptocurrency associated with fintech company Ripple, could now be used to buy items in games that use BitPay, including free-to-play ones like Roblox and Smite. The post suggested that Ripple’s XRP was being added as a payment option on these platforms.
The post stated:
“Xsolla now accepts XRP with BitPay as a payment method for their games such as Smite and Roblox. You can use your favorite cryptocurrency to buy, play, and enjoy gaming like never before.”
BitPay subsequently deleted the tweet a short time later, saying there had been an error in the information it contained. It noted that there would be more announcements in the future regarding cryptocurrency payments. The crypto payment service’s CMO Bill Zielke in addressing the error said:
“There was an error in the tweet. We will have more tweets about merchants accepting crypto in the near future. Stay tuned.”
Roblox Denies Plans to Accept XRP
Roblox responded quickly to refute the claims made in BitPay‘s now-deleted tweet. The gaming platform denied that there were any plans to integrate XRP as a payment method. While they do work with Xsolla, a video game payment solutions provider, Xsolla does not facilitate payments using cryptocurrencies like XRP or Bitcoin on their platform.
To further dispel the false rumors, Roblox reiterated the current payment options available to users. These include credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, PayPal, Venmo, Klarna, CVS Pharmacy payments, and Paysafecards.
Roblox maintained that, despite the speculation arising from BitPay’s tweet, they have no intention to expand into cryptocurrency payments at this time. Their stance remains that claims of XRP integration are categorically false.
Xsolla Not Affiliated with BitPay Claims
The technology company Xsolla, which was mentioned in the tweet, is a payment solutions provider that works with Roblox and other gaming firms. However, the company also denied any involvement in the viral tweet and the false information it contained. It provides a range of payment options for game developers but said it was in no way connected to the debunked claims regarding XRP payments on Roblox.
The incident showed how misinformation can rapidly spread on social media, as an inaccurate tweet led to rampant speculation and confusion. It serves as a reminder to always corroborate information from official sources, especially in the age of viral social media posts.
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