Rumble launches crypto wallet for direct creator payments
Rumble announced the launch of Rumble Wallet, enabling viewers to tip content creators using cryptocurrency. The video-sharing platform built the wallet in partnership with Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer. Rumble Wallet supports Bitcoin, Tether stablecoin USDT and Tether Gold XAUT at launch. The wallet is non-custodial, meaning users control their own private keys rather than trusting Rumble to hold funds. Chris Pavlovski, Rumble’s founder and chief executive, said “the wallet combines free speech with cryptocurrency and decentralised internet freedom“. Rumble has approximately 51 million monthly active users who can now send tips directly to creators they support.
The wallet is integrated directly into the Rumble app, requiring no separate downloads or external crypto exchanges. Viewers can buy cryptocurrency using traditional credit cards, Apple Pay or Venmo through payment processor MoonPay. Creators receive payments instantly on the blockchain without waiting for traditional payment processors or banks. This eliminates third-party delays that typically add days to payment processing in conventional systems. Tether chief executive Paolo Ardoino described the wallet as a step towards more decentralised and freedom-preserving internet tools.
Tether provides the technology whilst Lightning Network reduces costs
Rumble built the wallet using Tether’s Wallet Development Kit, a platform allowing apps to create crypto wallets without centralised custodians. A custodian is a company that holds cryptocurrency on behalf of users, similar to how banks hold traditional money. This marks the first live deployment of Tether’s WDK technology in a real-world consumer application. Tether invested $775 million in Rumble and plans using the platform to promote its USDT stablecoin to Americans. Rumble also adopted a Bitcoin treasury strategy in 2024, purchasing 211 Bitcoin worth approximately $19.3 million currently. The company committed $20 million from cash reserves specifically to acquire Bitcoin as a long-term investment.
Rumble plans integrating Bitcoin’s Lightning Network to reduce transaction costs and increase speed significantly for small tips. Lightning Network is a faster layer built on top of Bitcoin that processes payments in under one second. Regular Bitcoin transactions can take over ten minutes and cost more than one dollar in fees currently. Lightning Network reduces fees by approximately 90% compared to standard Bitcoin blockchain transactions. This makes small tips economically viable, as transaction fees would otherwise exceed the tip amount for small payments. The Lightning integration specifically targets tipping use cases where speed and low costs matter most to user experience.
Becoming a real YouTube competitor
The wallet gives creators an alternative income stream that doesn’t depend on advertising revenue or platform subscriptions. Traditional video platforms like YouTube pay creators based on advertisements shown before or during videos. This means creators earn nothing if viewers use ad-blocking software or if advertisers boycott controversial content. Rumble’s crypto tipping allows audiences to directly support creators they value without middlemen taking cuts from payments. The first Bitcoin tip was sent to content creator David Freiheit at the Plan ₿ Forum in Lugano, Switzerland. Rumble announced the feature in October 2025 with plans to roll it out by mid-December to all users. The actual launch came in early January 2026, slightly later than initially projected but with full functionality.
Rumble positioned itself as a YouTube alternative focused on free speech and less restrictive content moderation policies. The platform is valued at approximately $3 billion and attracts creators frustrated with mainstream platform restrictions. By embracing cryptocurrency technology, Rumble differentiates itself from competitors whilst appealing to crypto-friendly audiences globally. The wallet could attract more content creators seeking direct audience funding rather than relying solely on unpredictable advertising income. However, cryptocurrency’s price volatility means creators face uncertainty about the dollar value of tips received over time.
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