On Monday morning, ChangeTip’s Victoria van Eyk posted on the company’s blog that they were officially launching its One Time Tip Link feature, which allows users to send bitcoins via email, text, or anywhere else a link can be shared.

The feature has been accessible for some days now, but the company is only officially announcing it now.

The One Time Tip Link is available in the main, top bar on each user’s profile, and it looks like this:

All users need to do is type in a value, denominated in currencies or monikers, and click “Create Tip Link.”

This creates a unique URL that can be shared across a variety of platforms. The first person to receive and click the link gets the money, which puts the responsibility of message privacy on the sender.

Van Eyk notes a variety of use cases for this feature.

“The One Time Tip link enables people to send bitcoin in an e-mail or over chat messages like Skype,” she writes. “It’s really never been easier to send someone bitcoin. Simply type in the amount you wish to send, copy the link and send it to the intended recipient. Done.”

Other possibilities include:

  • Sending money via text or SMS
  • Hosting contests: “Adam Guerbuez had a little giveaway,” van Eyk wrote. “The first people to click his link won some money through the One Tip Time link. And Martin Holland over at OurEverydayEarth.com set up an online scavenger hunt, by hiding money in posts online!”
  • Finding the tips embedded in this article

Full disclosure: Van Eyk tipped me a beer (US$3.50) to show me how the One Time Tip Link feature works. In the interest of avoiding any conflicts of interest, I’m paying that tip forward. There are seven One Time Tip Links scattered throughout this post, each worth 50 US cents. The first readers to click those links will claim the money.


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