ShortSimon on Nostr: We are on the verge of creating a decentralised affiliate link. Without a native ...
We are on the verge of creating a decentralised affiliate link.
Without a native internet payment system that could handle micropayments efficiently, platforms became necessary intermediaries for monetizing click-through links.
The traditional financial system simply wasn't designed for the internet. Consider what happens with a fiat click-through link:
A user clicks an affiliate link
The platform tracks this action through cookies or tracking parameters
If a purchase happens, the platform records this conversion
At the end of a payment period (often 30-90 days), the platform calculates commissions
The platform then initiates a bank transfer or payment to the affiliate
This payment typically requires minimums (often $50-100) to be economical
The whole process involves contracts, accounting departments, and trust in the platform
This cumbersome process created enormous friction that made micropayments impossible and required trusted intermediaries to manage the payment flow. Platforms were the only practical solution because fiat payment infrastructure couldn't handle the speed, volume, or small amounts the internet required.
Bitcoin's Lightning Network fundamentally changes this equation by allowing:
Instant settlement without waiting periods
No minimum payment thresholds (even 1 satoshi is viable)
Programmable money that automatically splits payments
Direct peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries
Verification without trust in a central authority
This creates the possibility for a web of direct value exchange that wasn't technically possible before. What seemed like a natural evolution toward platform dominance was actually a technical limitation of legacy financial systems that Bitcoin has now solved.
Without a native internet payment system that could handle micropayments efficiently, platforms became necessary intermediaries for monetizing click-through links.
The traditional financial system simply wasn't designed for the internet. Consider what happens with a fiat click-through link:
A user clicks an affiliate link
The platform tracks this action through cookies or tracking parameters
If a purchase happens, the platform records this conversion
At the end of a payment period (often 30-90 days), the platform calculates commissions
The platform then initiates a bank transfer or payment to the affiliate
This payment typically requires minimums (often $50-100) to be economical
The whole process involves contracts, accounting departments, and trust in the platform
This cumbersome process created enormous friction that made micropayments impossible and required trusted intermediaries to manage the payment flow. Platforms were the only practical solution because fiat payment infrastructure couldn't handle the speed, volume, or small amounts the internet required.
Bitcoin's Lightning Network fundamentally changes this equation by allowing:
Instant settlement without waiting periods
No minimum payment thresholds (even 1 satoshi is viable)
Programmable money that automatically splits payments
Direct peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries
Verification without trust in a central authority
This creates the possibility for a web of direct value exchange that wasn't technically possible before. What seemed like a natural evolution toward platform dominance was actually a technical limitation of legacy financial systems that Bitcoin has now solved.