Bitcoin and the Creator Economy: Streaming Sats, Not Ads
More and more creators are using bitcoin's Lightning Network to get paid directly by their audience – without advertising and without a platform taking a large cut. Instead, fans send small amounts in satoshis, or "sats", the smallest unit of bitcoin.
Podcasts: value for value
With Podcasting 2.0, listeners can send a few sats per minute to a podcast while they listen, or tip particular episodes. Apps such as Fountain support this model. Hosting services like RSS.com work with Alby so that podcasters can receive bitcoin payments easily.
Social media: zaps on Nostr
On the decentralised social network Nostr, users can send "zaps" – small Lightning payments – directly to the authors of posts. The money goes straight to the recipient's wallet, with no platform in between.
Websites: Lightning paywalls
Bloggers and publishers can use plugins to put individual articles behind a small Lightning payment. Readers pay a few cents per article instead of taking out a subscription.
What creators gain
- Global reach: Anyone with a Lightning wallet can pay, regardless of country or bank.
- Low fees: Lightning payments usually cost only a fraction of a cent.
- Instant income: The money arrives immediately rather than after weeks.
- Independence: Less reliance on advertising and platform algorithms.
Worth knowing
The audience for these payments is still small compared with the major platforms. Anyone receiving income in bitcoin should also bear in mind price fluctuations and the tax rules in their country.
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