In the summer of 2020, The Podcast Index was born and the term Podcasting 2.0 first started appearing. The objective was to preserve podcasting as a platform for free speech (through decentralised content) and to retool podcasting as a platform of value (through decentralised money).
In November 2020, Adam Curry published the first video demonstrating how listeners could stream small units of bitcoin called satoshis directly to a podcaster over the Lightning Network from a podcast player. Value for Value - the idea that audiences can choose to give back value which was so freely given to them - is not new. However, with the Lightning Network we now have fast, frictionless and low-fee payments integrated seamlessly into the listening experience.
Value for Value is just one of many features of Podcasting 2.0. We are proud to partner with Podcast Index to deliver new features that improve the podcasting experience for listeners - and for the creators themselves.