Canadian band The Carbons received more than a tip during a live performance in Kelowna, British Columbia. When passerby Ben from BTCSessions, a Youtuber and Bitcoin (BTC) educator, saw that the gang accepted Bitcoin, he had to send them some magical internet money.
Tomy (frontman of The Carbons) had been into crypto since 2017, but like a lot of people new to crypto, he thought he had “missed the boat”. The price per BTC was around USD 2,500. He told Cointelegraph that he started investigating in earnest when:
“I realized it was basically an insurance policy for the current monetary system. At the time, it was around $8,000. It’s been a wild ride ever since, but I’m playing the long game :)”
This weekend, at his performance in Kelowna, Tomy announced that he was accepting cryptocurrencies as a form of payment. Unfortunately, her phone died the moment Ben dropped by, so the pair connected via Instagram later. According to screenshots of the Instagram conversation, Tomy shared an Ethereum (ETH) address to receive a donation and become The Carbon’s first crypto donor.
Short story: saw a dude in Kelowna playing guitar with a sign asking for Bitcoin tips. His phone from him was dead but we linked up later online so I could tip. I have offered an ETH address because he still thought bitcoin was slow/expensive.
Here’s our convo.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/Fx2Hu1mCyx— BTC Sessions (@BTCsessions) July 18, 2022
However, as Ben is a Bitcoin maximalist, he said he would be happy to send some Bitcoin – not Ethereum – your way. Ben told Cointelegraph that, among other things, it is “the foundational rules that govern the network, and the ease (or lack thereof) with which they can be changed” that guide his conviction on Bitcoin.
Ben instructed Tomy to download a Bitcoin Lightning wallet, and moments later, they were instantly sending each other Bitcoin over the Lightning Network (LN). Transaction costs are almost free in the LN, and microtransactions are easy, prompting Tomy’s response: “it’s fucking amazing.” By comparison, sending money via Ethereum — even at its lowest levels in two years — costs well over $1.
Tomy told Cointelegraph that it was his first experience using the LN, and that it took “an hour of YouTube research to decide on a wallet and then another few minutes to figure out how to use it.”
“I hadn’t heard of the Lightning Network until last week! Makes me want to trade all my Litecoin and ETH for Bitcoin!”
The Carbons have since received three BTC donations, adding that “every tip helps,” but probably hasn’t moved the needle on their Spotify earnings yet. Bitcoin expert Ben told Cointelegraph that he has been using the Lightning Network since 2018, when it was “clumsy and difficult, but it worked.” LN has since become a part of her daily routine:
Without a doubt, LN is well known in the Bitcoin community and has spread its roots all over the world. From paying for food in the United Kingdom to paying for SIM cards in Mozambique, to paying for parties in Portland (United States), it has gained popularity.
However, awareness of the LN is scarce among the crypto community and the community in general. Ben explains why this may be so:
“There will be SOME who are unknowingly incentivized to continue because they are deeply invested in coins whose value depends on Bitcoin not being able to scale. However, most likely have not tried it.”
Ben encourages users to try the LN, which he compares to “magic”. During the IG conversation with Tomy, he recommends using Muun Wallet, a free self-custody wallet for Android and iOS:
Just a little throwback here. I continue to really love @MuunWallet and its seamless singular balance, enabling you to send to on-chain and lightning without any additional hassles. Kudos.
MUUN BITCOIN WALLET – On Chain and Lightning Combined! https://t.co/jUSLhuj6IB
— BTC Sessions (@BTCsessions) February 18, 2022
Just a bit of backtracking here. I still love @MuunWallet and its unique seamless balance, allowing you to send to on-chain and litghning without any additional hassles. Kudos.
MUUN BITCOIN WALLET – On chain and lightning combined!
As for Tomy, he told Cointelegraph that now is seriously considering selling all of its altcoins for Bitcoin. Later joked on Twitter that he could change the name of the band to “The Bitcoin Buskers”.
On a heartfelt note, and in light of the disastrous impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the performing arts, Tomy told Cointelegraph, “It’s been a tough couple of years for musicians,” adding that the support and community They are highly appreciated.
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