Bluesky is set to introduce payment features in the coming months, marking a significant step in its strategy to generate revenue without relying on advertising. CEO Toni Schneider and COO Rose Wang shared these plans on Thursday at TechCrunch Disrupt, highlighting the company's intention to enhance commerce and fundraising activities on its decentralized social network.
“"People are actually selling things, fundraising very successfully, supporting each other on the network," Schneider stated. "We want to make that easier, and the way we’re going to do this is if you see something on the network that you like and support, you can support that monetarily."
The executives emphasized that the new payment system will be designed to work seamlessly across the entire network, benefiting both Bluesky and other applications.
Leadership Transition and User Concerns
Schneider, who took over as CEO in March after Jay Graber stepped down, expressed surprise at the mixed reactions to his appointment. Some users humorously suggested that his leadership might signal the platform's decline. Schneider acknowledged these concerns, stating that users have the option to leave if they dislike new features, which keeps the leadership accountable as they prepare for monetization.
