YouTube launches new gifting feature for vertical livestreams

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — YouTube is launching a new way for creators to earn money during vertical livestreams, the company announced on Thursday.
Viewers can now buy “jewels,” a YouTube’s digital currency, to send “gifts” to creators. Gifts are animations that appear on screen during vertical livestreams.
When viewers use Jewels to send gifts on YouTube, creators get “Rubies.” Creators receive 1 cent for each Ruby.
Creators can only receive gifts when they stream vertically directly on YouTube or with third-party streaming software, and viewers can only send gifts through the mobile app, the Google-owned company said, adding that it believes gifts offer viewers a better way to visually support their favorite live creators.
It is similar to TikTok’s live gifting feature that lets viewers purchase “coins” to send gifts, of various monetary value, to support live creators during their streams, according to a report by TechCrunch.
Creators on TikTok are earning thousands of dollars by going live and then receiving gifts from viewers. Plus, numerous NPC streamers have earned thousands of dollars, per day in some cases, by receiving gifts during livestreams, the report said. ■