Tips is an integrated tipping service on Twitter that allows users to to send bitcoin by adding links to to third-party payment services, including bitcoin wallets and Lightning Network services, on their profiles. The new tool is designed to be more seamless than sharing third-party payment usernames via tweets and involves embedding links directly into your Twitter profile.

The tipping tool was first introduced in May 2021 as an exclusive feature for selected users and was later rolled out to more users on Sept. 23, 2021. Starting in February 2022, users can add their Ethereum wallets to Twitter and send ether (ETH) as well.

As of writing, Tips is currently available to Android and iOS users only. This means web users may have to wait a while before they can start enjoying this feature.

For those interested in sending bitcoin to other users, the first thing you need to check is the recipient’s eligibility to receive tips. Users that can accept tips or have activated this feature have a Tips icon, which resembles a fiat bill, next to the Follow button on their Twitter profile. By clicking this icon, you get to see all of the payment services accepted by the user. Twitter will automatically direct you to the third-party payment service where the transactions can be executed. The supported payment services are:

Note that the availability of these services is dependent on where users are located. The only payment networks available globally are Bitcoin and the Lightning options.

Read more: What Can You Buy with Bitcoin?

Although there is a wide range of payment methods supported by Tips, we will be focusing more on those options enabling bitcoin (BTC) transactions. To send bitcoin-denominated tips, you can either use a bitcoin wallet or execute the transaction via Strike, which is a bitcoin Lightning Network service.

The bitcoin wallet payment feature is as simple as they come. Follow the steps below to send tips denominated in bitcoin to Twitter users.

Alternatively, you can tip Twitter users with bitcoin via Light Network-enabled Strike. It is important to explain how Lightning Network and Strike work before discussing the steps involved.

Note that Strike is only available to people in the U.S. (excluding those living in New York and Hawaii) and El Salvador. First you have to create and fund an account on Strike or any other Lightning Network supported service before you can start using it as a channel to tip Twitter users. Once you have set up a Strike account, you can head to Twitter and continue the following steps:

It is worth mentioning that you can send bitcoin from your Strike account to a bitcoin wallet address. However, unlike executing bitcoin transactions between two Strike accounts, sending bitcoin from a Strike account to a bitcoin wallet address incurs network fees.

To receive bitcoin tips, you need to first confirm your eligibility status by going to your profile page and clicking the Edit Profile button. If you find a Tips option here, you are eligible to use this feature. Below are the steps required to activate Tips:

For a while now, Twitter has been introducing new features designed to promote more conversations and improve user experience. Having built a strong following and user base, the next step is to induce more engagements and entice content creators to spend more time on the platform. It is safe to say that the introduction of Tips showcases Twitter’s intent to enable a content economy designed around a tipping system. With this, users can tip their favorite content creators, appreciate a gesture or even support businesses. Additionally, Tips can also be used to contribute financially to an important cause.

More importantly, the introduction of Tips marks the first bitcoin implementation on Twitter. Jack Dorsey had previously hinted that it was only a matter of time before Twitter began to adopt bitcoin in one capacity or the other. The decision to incorporate Bitcoin and the Lightning Network as part of the supported payment methods on Tips shows that bitcoin can play a pivotal role in the ongoing push for content monetization.

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