Twitter, in alliance with fintech startup Razorpay, has launched its ‘Tip Jar’ in-app payments feature in India, at a time when the government has augmented inspection of social media platforms with its new intermediary guidelines.
The feature can be used to make payments to non-governmental organizations, freelancers, influencers, content creators, journalists, new media professionals, volunteers, and activists trying to mobilize funds. Twitter will not take any cut from these transactions.
The feature was unveiled in the US more than a month ago. The first report about Tip Jar's India launch on May 26 and that Twitter was beta-testing the feature with Razorpay.
While opting to make their payments through the ‘Tip Jar’ icon, a Twitter user would be taken to Razorpay’s payment page, where they will have the option to pay via Unified Payments Interface (UPI), debit and credit cards, or net banking.
"To start, only a limited group will see the option to add Tip Jar to their profile. This group includes creators, journalists, public figures, experts, and community leaders. It is the first of several upcoming ways for creators to monetize their content and earn money from their biggest supporters. Everyone can send tips to applicable accounts on Twitter for iOS and Android via third-party payment services. By integrating Razorpay, we are hoping to provide people in India with a simple and secure way to send money as a token of appreciation or as a gift," said, Twitter on BlogSpot.
The feature is also available in Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, and Tamil. Globally, Tip Jar payments can be made through payments apps such as PayPal, Cash App, Patreon, Venmo, and Bandcamp.