Microblogging platform, Twitter is said to be testing a beta feature that will allow tipping content creators on the platform with BTC. According to a post on Twitter, the feature will be facilitated using Strike, Jack Maller’s crypto-based app that is powered by the Bitcoin Lightning Network.
As reported by MacRumors, Twitter’s latest update introduces support for supporting content creators with Bitcoin tips using the “Tip Jar” feature that was introduced earlier this year. The reports stated that Bitcoin is not yet available to select as a tip option in the release but closer inspection of the code suggests that Twitter is in the process of rolling it out to Beta testers and maybe general users.
Based on the rumors, Twitter is clearly working closely with Bitcoin Lightning Network App Strike. The Same App that El-Salvador’s government is working within their adoption of Bitcoin as a legal tender. Twitter users will need a Strike account to receive tips over the lightning network.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has been one of the biggest supporters of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin in particular. The CEO had promised earlier that Bitcoin is an important part of the company and it would be coming to the platform. Right now, users can add PayPal, Patreon, Cash App, Venmo, and Bandcamp Link to their profiles.
The Bitcoin Lightning Network is a layer 2 scaling solution applied to Bitcoin that uses a micropayment channel to scale its blockchains capability to conduct transactions more efficiently. It works by taking transactions away from the main blockchain and conducting them on its network. The transactions are much faster, cost less, and are more readily confirmed than those confirmed on the Bitcoin blockchain. It solves the problem of congestion which has troubled the main chain.
The addition of Bitcoin on Twitter shouldn’t come as a surprise. Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey has been an advocate of the digital asset and has stated his commitments to driving its adoption. He considers it to be “the native currency of the internet”.