Coffee chain Starbucks ranks among the top 100 largest corporations by market cap. It is gradually warming to Bitcoin.

Retail support: Starbucks has been working with the cryptocurrency and finance firm Bakkt to enable Bitcoin payments. Early trials began at certain locations in 2019. In March 2020, the firm did further tests of mobile payments. It is not clear if or when this will be available on a wider basis.

Enterprise blockchain: Starbucks partnered with Microsoft Azure in 2019 to use blockchain for its coffee traceability efforts. The goal is to ensure that coffee beans are ethically and sustainably sourced.

Investments: Starbucks has not invested in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, or cryptocurrency funds, nor has it invested in blockchain firms.

Anti-crypto activity: Starbucks has not faced controversy over its cryptocurrency policies, which are minimal. However, the company has faced backlash over its labor policies and wages. That issue could be on the minds of cryptocurrency investors who see cryptocurrency investment as an alternative to traditional employment and salaries.

Executive sentiment: Starbucks executive chairman and former CEO Howard Schultz has commented negatively on Bitcoin. "I don’t believe that bitcoin is going to be a currency today or in the future," Schultz told CNBC in 2018. He suggested that he sees potential in blockchain and digital currencies, but not Bitcoin in particular.

Summary: Starbucks is in the early days of embracing cryptocurrency and blockchain. It seems likely that it will strengthen its endeavors, even if the attitudes of its executives have varied in the past.