By
Chimamanda U. Martha
April 24th, 2024
The revealed interface showed two possible options: users would be able to send and receive tips via the Tip Jar feature on a Bitcoin or an Ethereum address attached to their profile.
Social media giant Twitter is seemingly looking to add functionalities that will allow users of the platform to accept tips in Bitcoin using the Tip Jar feature.
Several actions lend credence to this assertion. First, app developer, Alessandro Paluzzi, tweeted on Wednesday, a screenshot that showed Twitter using The Lightning Network, a technology that secures payment transfers. This was followed by a tweet saying, “Twitter is working on the ability to receive tips in #Bitcoin.” Next, Twitter’s product lead, Kayvon Beykpour, quoted the screenshot and added, “soon.”
Again on Thursday, Paluzzi posted another three screenshots showing the re-engineered Tip Jar user interface. The revealed interface showed two possible options; users could send and receive tips via the Tip Jar feature on a Bitcoin or an Ethereum address attached to their profile.
Twitter Tip Jar Feature
Recall that Twitter added the Tip Jar feature earlier in May. The feature was touted as “a new way for content creators to send and receive tips.” It allowed users to share links to their Bandcamp, Cash App, Patreon, Paypal, and Venmo accounts.
The Tip jar feature can be activated by eligible users – journalists, creators, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and experts – next to the follow button. Once activated, an icon will be displayed on the account homepage of users who enable the Tip Jar function. This then allows other users to select their preferred platform for sending the tip after which a redirect to the preferred platform occurs, and then the tip can be sent.
Twitter then indicated there were plans for additional features to accommodate more users, and languages across the world. Chief Executive Officer of Twitter Jack Dorsey also implied Bitcoin would be integrated with the Tip Jar in July. He informed investors that Bitcoin had a “big part” to play in Twitter’s future. According to a statement by Tech Crunch, he identified Bitcoin was one of three trends that were important to the social media platform.
Paluzzi’s leaked images confirmed that Twitter is testing the ability to send and receive tips using cryptocurrency with the help of the Bitcoin Lightning app Strike. However, Twitter has not made any official announcements detailing just how much they plan to integrate Bitcoin into their operations. Likewise, no timelines have been released to indicate when Bitcoin may be integrated.