Twitter brings Bitcoin aboard, NFT might be next

By Chris Burns/Sept. 23, 2021 3:35 pm EST

Twitter started using Bitcoin this week with the addition of a feature called Tips. You might've seen Tips in Twitter before when it was called "Tip Jar" – now it's just Tips. This Tips feature also just rolled out to all iOS users around the world – and Android is next.

If you're attempting to activate Tips for your account on Twitter, you're going to need an iOS device. At the moment there is no access available for Tips activation in any web browser or for any app on any platform other than iOS. Android is next, and that'll be coming in a few weeks from now.

The first way in which Bitcoin will be used on Twitter is through the payments application called Strike. The Strike system is built on the Bitcoin Lightning Network and it delivers "instant and free payments globally."

Tips also has connectivity with Bandcamp, Cash App, Chipper, Patreon, Wealthsimple Cash, Venmo, Razorpay, GoFundMy, and PicPay. Twitter is taking a sort of host-but-don't-touch approach to this whole situation, in that when you choose a service with which you'll tip, you'll be "taken off Twitter to the selected app to send funds."

According to Twitter Staff Product Manager Esther Craford, "Twitter takes no cut." Per the official Help Center article for Tips on Twitter, "Twitter will not receive any portion of these payments, but the third-party payment services may charge fees."

Users must agree to Twitter's newest General Tipping policy and also must be 18 years of age or older. If you decide to enable Tips on your profile, you'll be able to add a Bitcoin address to your Twitter profile, as well. With this system, users will also have the option to send Bitcoin with any service they wish.

Crawford also suggested that Twitter is looking into NFT authentication. A Twitter representative did not go into specifics about how NFT representation would work on Twitter, but did seem to suggest that it was, indeed, working to bring NFT support – in other words, this wasn't just an off-the-cuff response to a question about NFT work for the future. Cross your fingers for galleries and greatness!