Twitch, Amazon’s live streaming powerhouse, announced a partnership with $ZAP on August 20, 2025, to integrate blockchain-based payments, per Papo_Ninja. $ZAP, a Web3 payment processor, enables seamless crypto tipping, subscriptions, and on-chain fan engagement, expanding beyond Twitch’s “Bits” system, per. This move allows creators to receive instant, global payouts in stablecoins like USDC, reducing fees and border restrictions, per. With Twitch’s 140 million monthly users, the integration could unlock $1B+ in annual crypto transactions, per.
$ZAP’s suite supports tokenized perks, NFT drops, and community rewards, bridging live content with DeFi, per. Streamers benefit from lower costs (2-3% vs. 30% traditional) and faster settlements, while viewers use wallets like MetaMask for direct support, per. The partnership aligns with Twitch’s 2025 monetization push, including 70/30 revenue splits for top creators, per. X posts from @Twitch highlight “faster payouts for global creators,” per, signaling a shift from fiat to hybrid models.
Twitch’s move counters rivals like Kick’s Bonk.fun integration and Pump.fun’s livestreaming, per. Stacked, a Web3 Twitch alternative, raised $12.9M in 2022 for decentralized streaming, per, but Twitch’s scale (2.1M concurrent viewers) gives it an edge, per. Analysts predict Web3 features could boost streamer earnings 20-30% by 2026, per. Regulatory clarity from the GENIUS Act supports stablecoin use, per, though SEC scrutiny on tokenized assets persists, per Coinlaw.io.
This partnership positions Twitch as a Web3 leader, potentially driving $500M in USDC flows by Q4 2025, per. Creators should integrate $ZAP for diversified revenue, while viewers gain flexible tipping, per. Monitor adoption via Twitch’s dashboard and $ZAP’s analytics, per. With BTC at $113,234 and ETH at $4,070, stablecoin stability aids growth, per CoinMarketCap. Diversify earnings with USDC staking (5% APY), per. Follow @TheBlock__ on X for updates. Twitch’s $ZAP tie-up could redefine streaming monetization in 2025, per.
