Twitch.tv, a popular live streaming platform that as of May 2018 has over 15 million daily active users, has recently quietly stopped accepting bitcoin and bitcoin cash payments, as the options to pay with these cryptocurrencies seemingly vanished.
The company’s move was first spotted by users on Reddit, who pointed out they were no longer able to pay for subscriptions using cryptocurrencies. While some noted they didn’t even know the company accepted cryptos, others started cancelling subscriptions to boycott the company for the move.
While it isn’t currently clear why Twitch removed the payment option, a low transaction volume could be behind it, as most users seemingly didn’t even know it was there in the first place. Some have already contacted support to figure out what’s going on. Looking at the platform’s payments options shows there’s, at press time, no way to pay using crypto.
The company notably added cryptocurrency payments in mid-2018, allowing users to pay for subscriptions to their favorite streaming channels using various top cryptocurrencies, including BTC, BCH, ETH, and LTC.
Put those 🎁 💳 gift cards from grandma to good use by subscribing to your favorite streamer! We take these and more. Just click “Show More Methods” on the Payment Information screen. https://t.co/cyIJ4Fcnr9 pic.twitter.com/a1QmAg4A6R
— Twitch (@Twitch) January 12, 2018
The move came through another company called StreamLabs, which provides streamers on various platforms with a full suite of software to help them manage content, livefeeds, and donations. It also helped them accept donations in cryptocurrency.
Per another Reddit thread, StreamLabs has also dropped its support for cryptocurrencies. While the transaction volume associated with these could be behind the move, it’s worth pointing out a video game streamer was gifted over $70,000 worth of bitcoin earlier this year while on Twitch.
Twitch is notably a subsidiary of Amazon, as it was acquired by the e-commerce giant for $970 million back in 2014. It’s said to have over one million concurrent users on average, and has over 2.2 million broadcasters.
In the past, companies accepting cryptocurrency payments temporarily dropped them over technical difficulties. As covered, Chess.com recently revealed on social media it was unable to accept over 100 BTC payments over difficulties with its payment processor.
Twitch hasn’t responded to CryptoGlobe’s request for comment by press time.
