No matter what the haters on its platform may say, Twitter clearly thinks cryptocurrency is more than just a passing fad.
That much Twitter made clear Wednesday with the announcement of both a new distributed technology-focused hire and the creation of a new crypto team. Tess Rinearson, a software engineer with a long history of developing blockchain tech, confirmed her new role as team lead in a thread explaining what she views as the natural fit between Twitter and distributed technology like the blockchain and Bitcoin.
“I’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined Twitter, to lead a new team focused on crypto, blockchains, and other decentralized technologies—including and going beyond cryptocurrencies,” she wrote in part. “First, we’ll be exploring how we can support the growing interest among creators to use decentralized apps to manage virtual goods and currencies, and to support their work and communities.”
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This move is yet another in a long line from Twitter which shows its commitment to all things blockchain. Whether that be possible NFT integration, helping to facilitate bitcoin payments, or developing a decentralized social media protocol called BlueSky, the company has repeatedly reiterated that it believes this space is a natural fit for Twitter and its users.
“Blockchain and crypto are unlocking new possibilities that align with many of our big product bets, including creator monetization and new forms of self-expression,” wrote a company spokesperson over email. “It’s time for Twitter to explore that technology in earnest, and Tess — who has led engineering teams at Interchain, Tendermint, Interstellar and Chain—has the experience to lead that charge.”
Rinearson, for her part, acknowledged that there’s much about crypto at Twitter which remains up in the air.
“Looking farther ahead, we’ll be exploring how ideas from crypto communities can help us push the boundaries of what’s possible with identity, community, ownership and more,” she wrote.
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Which sounds cool and all, but it remains to be seen if Rinearson and her growing team can address the big problems facing the Twitter cryptocurrency community: the scourge of right-click savers.
