The Return of Bitcoin on Twitch
After a rocky road since 2014, Twitch has decided to roll out the virtual welcome mat for Bitcoin once again. This time, the live streaming platform has teamed up with Coinbase, a move that many gamers are cheering about. Gone are the days when users had to throw a fit about not being able to use their favorite cryptocurrency for payments—now it’s back in action as of August 21, 2016!
The Xsolla Debacle
Two years down the line, another player, Xsolla, entered the game. Twitch initially partnered with the gaming payment provider to mix things up with a range of payment options. You could toss some Bitcoin to your favorite streamer, helping them cash in on their hard work with minimal transaction fees. But then, as things often go in the world of tech, the party ended. Xsolla cut Bitcoin loose from its payment network, leaving Twitch users fuming like a gamer who just got disconnected mid-match.
The Community Pressure Cooker
Fast forward two years, and the community didn’t just sit back with their controllers in hand. Both gamers and cryptocurrency advocates joined forces to pressure Twitch into lacing up its Bitcoin sneakers again. The challenge? Squeezing Bitcoin payments into an Amazon-owned platform is like trying to convince your cat to take a bath—extremely tricky. But against all odds, Twitch listened!
A Game-Changer: Normal Address Deposits
One of the coolest features brought back by Twitch is the capacity for normal address deposits. What does this mean, you ask? Well, users can now send Bitcoin directly to the Twitch platform from their wallets without needing a middleman payment processor. It’s like ordering pizza directly from your favorite pizzeria instead of going through some dodgy app. This streamlining is aimed at faster transactions and happier streamers.
Amazon’s Bitcoin Future
What’s even more juicy in this development? The fact that Twitch’s Bitcoin integration is sparking rumors about the potential for Bitcoin to pop up across other Amazon services. Could this be the dawn of a new era where you can buy your next gadget or book with Bitcoin? While everyone holds their breath, all we can do is hit refresh on our devices for the official word from Twitch HQ.
Stay tuned; it seems like this story is just getting started!
