- Civitai has started accepting cryptocurrency payments for its Buzz tokens after its credit card processor ended support.
- The platform now allows payments in USDC, USDT, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and other cryptocurrencies, but not Bitcoin due to high transaction fees.
- This change highlights pressure on AI and NSFW (Not Safe For Work) platforms to find alternative payment options.
- Civitai implemented stricter content rules to comply with recent laws, including banning real-person likeness content.
- User reactions are mixed, with some praising the crypto move while others are skeptical.
Civitai, a major site for sharing AI models, began accepting crypto payments for its Buzz tokens in May after its credit card processor terminated service. The move enables users to buy Buzz, a virtual token that works within the platform, using several popular cryptocurrencies.
Supported coins include USDC, USDT, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tron, Solana, Dogecoin, and Shiba Inu via NowPayments. Bitcoin was excluded because of what the company described as excessive transaction fees. A flat $1 fee applies to all crypto purchases, which Civitai claims is lower than standard payment processing charges.
“We’re excited to introduce crypto payments for Buzz. This gives you a secure and convenient way to get the Buzz you need,” Civitai said in its implementation guide. The company recommends using USDC on the Base Network for quick transactions with no gas fees, but states that users can use any Ethereum-compatible wallet and do not need to use Coinbase specifically. “We use a secure processor to handle Crypto payments, and your wallet info is never stored on Civitai’s servers,” the company explained.
The shift to cryptocurrency comes after Civitai’s credit card processor stopped supporting platforms with AI-generated NSFW content. The company said that “recent policy updates were insufficient to satisfy the former processor,” and that it continues to seek new credit card providers open to working with NSFW content under specific guidelines.
This situation is similar to challenges faced by adult entertainment sites like Pornhub, which turned to crypto after losing VISA and Mastercard support in 2020. Other platforms, such as LiveJasmin and SpankChain, adopted cryptocurrencies for their privacy and independence from traditional financial institutions. Payment services like Paypal, Stripe, and Square typically ban adult content, while Visa and Mastercard often allow banks to classify adult businesses as “high risk.”
Civitai now serves 3.2 million users and has introduced stricter moderation, banning content depicting real people, to comply with the U.S. Take It Down Act and the European Union AI Act. The Take It Down Act requires platforms to remove non-consensual intimate imagery within 48 hours of notification, with penalties including up to three years in prison. “We’re now facing an increasingly strict regulatory landscape—one evolving rapidly across multiple countries,” Civitai wrote in a recent blog post.
Some users support the crypto payment option, while others express doubt. A portion of the user base has turned to communities and other platforms to archive content, but the majority remains with the site.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
Previous Articles:
- Dubai Launches MENA’s First Licensed Tokenized Real Estate Project
- Trump Media to Raise $3B for Bitcoin, Crypto Purchases: Report
- Dubai Launches First Tokenized Real Estate Platform, Prypco Mint
- Bitcoin Hits $112,000 ATH: Tech Stock or Digital Gold Debate Grows
- Crypto Firm Caladan Opens NYC Office Amid Pro-Crypto U.S. Shift
