you guys are fucking niggers.
(
L/
A)
We're dropping Stripe - the payment processor we were using.
It's one thing if Stripe doesn't want certain creators on Odysee to be able to use their service for monetization because of their own policies. We get that, most people get that.
Forcing Odysee to restrict users from using Odysee because they don't align with Stripe’s policies (which are not ours) is where we draw the line. That's nonsensical, and it's also none of your business who we platform.
We were working with Stripe to facilitate fiat based creator payments.
The arrangement was fine until it wasn't.
Recently, a couple of users on Odysee complained to Stripe about other Odysee users that they didn't like who were using Stripe. They complained about content being in violation of Stripe policy. Don't ask us why those creators did that. It only takes a few to spoil a good thing.
This prompted Stripe to take a look into many creators on Odysee and request their demonetization if they did not align with their policy.
We understood their angle, it's their choice who they want using their service. It wasn't like they were asking us to kick them off Odysee either. We observed some mistakes they made with demonetization after the fact though, and we helped those creators get re-monetized with Stripe later.
If that was the conclusion of this matter everything would be fine, but it wasn't.
Stripe now wants to know all about our users, they want us to collect all kinds of sensitive information about you, because Stripe doing KYC checks as the money transmitter is not enough. Users should go through a prior round of arbitrary KYC checks first.
That's not the worst offense though. Stripe requests Odysee's incorporation of third party moderation tools to ensure that everything Odysee users post is in alignment with their own policy even if those users aren't even using Stripe for monetization in the first place!
So that's it, we're dropping Stripe.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who purchased Odysee Premium—your support means everything to us! The badges you’ve earned will be permanently displayed on your profile.
What’s next:
We’re developing new monetization tools which provide creators with greater autonomy and lower fees. Switching to another centralized payment processor like Stripe would likely cause similar issues in the future, so we’re fully embracing blockchain technologies for better freedom in transactions.
Odysee will also no longer take any cuts of tips/purchases/rentals, nor pass on processing fees to users for memberships. Transaction costs to send/receive will be negligible, which also opens the door for microtransactions - e.g. tipping in the pennies, and lower membership tiers!
Our goal is to have an initial version of the new payment system ready for release by the time Stripe is fully disabled. More on what to expect in a future post!
Transition Timeline:
Limited Stripe features (tipping, memberships, and purchases) will remain available while we work on a new solution. Here’s what we’re doing in the meantime:
- No New Stripe Creator Accounts: Effective immediately, creators can no longer sign up with Stripe.
- Odysee Premium Memberships: All memberships will be canceled, but existing perks will remain available while we assess how to continue the program during this transition.
- Implementing an Alternative: We’re working on a side by side implementation that will allow creators and users to transition prior to Stripe shutdown.
By February 3, 2025, on the Stripe side, we will:
- Cancel all creator memberships, though members-only perks and content will still be accessible and remain active in the new system.
- Disable Stripe-based tipping, memberships, and purchases. Purchased content will remain available.
- Settle any final creator payments.
For content creators and users:
Content creators will want to let their fans know a new payment system will be coming - have them keep an eye out for changes on the site and emails from us.
As soon as we have something in place, we will reach out to content creators to begin linking their accounts. Once users also enable the new payment method, all new transactions will occur here and bypass Stripe.
What you can do now:
Sign up for an
ArConnect wallet extension - this wallet will be used on Odysee and will allow you to send and receive payments. It is also available as an
iOS and
Android app. You don’t need to purchase tokens or do anything else at this time!
Here’s a link to a tutorial on how to setup ArConnect:
https://www.arconnect.io/help/article/how-to-install-and-setup-arconnect
Please note: Make sure to securely backup your seed phrase - Odysee cannot help you recover this if it’s lost.