No, Kroger isn't accepting bitcoin as payment at its stores

Kroger isn't accepting bitcoin as payment at any of its stores, with the grocery chain on Friday refuting a news release posted on its website as fake. 

Kroger said in a tweet that the announcement — which appeared on its investor relations page and on PR Newswire, a public relations service — claiming that customers could pay with Bitcoin Cash was "fraudulent" and "should be disregarded."

Kroger is the second major employer to fall prey to a phony media release related to cryptocurrency. In September, a press release was posted on GlobeNewswire claiming that Walmart would accept Litecoin, another popular cryptocurrency, as payment at its stores. CNBC, Reuters and other media outlets reported the story, which turned out to be false as Walmart denied any partnership with Litecoin. The retailer said it's investigating how the fake press release appeared on GlobeNewswire, Reuters reported.