PewDiePie Switches Streams From YouTube To Blockchain Upstart DLive

PewDiePie, the highly controversial but even higher trafficked YouTube star who had been the subject of a petition to ban him from the Google-owned platform, has jumped to a competing streaming arena, DLive.

The new home for PewDiePie, an independent content creator with just shy of 94 million YouTube subscribers, is a platform built with blockchain technology that pledges to reward both creators and viewers. In a press release, it called the exclusive deal for PewDiePie “one of the biggest livestreaming deals to date.” The pact will take effect on Sunday, when weekly streams will begin on DLive.

Sweden-born PewDiePie, aka Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, has been a subject of scrutiny and backlash for several years, despite his massive popularity. He has occasionally trafficked in racist and anti-Semitic material, though he has insisted these instances were “jokes.” The petition drive seeking his removal from YouTube cited his championing of white supremacist content. Kjellberg adamantly rejected the connection drawn recently by the mass shooter in New Zealand to two massacres at mosques.

From a business point of view, DLive has targeted YouTube’s custom of taking 50% of ad revenue from creators, instead using a system that it says offers more incentives to creators via cryptocurrency. The three main elements of the model are a rewards system, decentralized ownership of the platform and its video content and no platform cuts.

With more than 3 million monthly active users, and 35,000 active streamers, DLive is available online at DLive.tv and via its Android and iOS apps. DLive is built using Lino, a fully blockchain protocol whose creators say offers enhanced transparency and decentralization.

“DLive is a place where instead of competing against each other, it benefits creators to support one another. With no platform cuts, we incentivize everyone to create the highest quality content for viewers,” said Wilson Wei, Co-Founder of Lino Network, “PewDiePie has always been a fierce advocate for the value that creators bring with their hard work, time, and effort, and he believes in DLive’s vision. Our livestreaming platform has the potential to forever change how creators are represented in this industry, and we’re proud to have PewDiePie help us lead this charge.”

“I’m excited to start live streaming again regularly! DLive is great for me because I’m treated like a real partner, just like all of the other streamers on DLive’s unique platform,” Kjellberg said.

Variety had the first report of the new streaming setup.