Lightning company Zebedee is launching a new version of its ZBD app—a gaming-centric Bitcoin wallet—that gives users access to a new social platform with a twist: It gives its users the opportunity to earn a little Bitcoin.
Now in alpha, users can sign up for a waitlist for early access to the new ZBD app, which was created by Zebedee's open-source wing NBD.
The app is powered by Nostr, a decentralized protocol for building apps that's on the rise to the tune of more than two million users. Its claim to fame might be that Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has been very focused on the protocol as the underpinnings of the future of social media.
No Big Deal: ZEBEDEE Contributes to Bitcoin Lightning Network Open Source Development
ZEBEDEE, a crypto startup focused on payment solutions using the speedy Lightning Network, has launched a new initiative to contribute open-source code and products to the layer-2 protocol built on top of Bitcoin. Dubbed No Big Deal (NBD), the new not-for-profit project has already resulted in several products and code repositories available to anyone willing to build on the Lightning Network. As noted by Andre Neves, co-founder and CTO of ZEBEDEE, NBD is not about selling or supporting products...
In ZBD, users can soon send "zaps"—which are very small amounts of Bitcoin—to others instead of "likes." The app also features encrypted DMs with the option to use them to send payments.
"Unlike traditional social platforms, ZBD introduces zaps, empowering users to send microtransactions globally and monetize their content in a whole new way. Say goodbye to meaningless likes and embrace the opportunity to earn money for your online contributions, creating a more rewarding and engaging social experience," Zebedee co-founder and CTO Andre Neves told Decrypt in an email.
Bluesky vs. Nostr? Jack Dorsey Says Many Decentralized Social Platforms a 'Good Thing'
Jack Dorsey chimed in on the recent rise of decentralized social media platform Bluesky on Thursday, saying that his own presence isn’t all that important even though he was a major force behind the platform’s creation. And overall, he’s keen on seeing many different such platforms emerge and thrive. The former Twitter CEO helped incubate Bluesky and its AT Protocol internally at the social media giant starting in 2019, and the project later spun off as a separate organization. Dorsey was on the...
But of course, there's other advantages besides earning a little bit of Bitcoin. With decentralized social media, users have more control of their data than in traditional social media apps. That's because there isn't a large corporation that's controlling their data.
"With a decentralized social app, you have the freedom to carry your identity and followers across any number of apps. No longer restricted to a closed-off ecosystem, you can connect with friends and creators regardless of the specific platform they use," Neves said.
