Bittube

BitTube is a blockchain-based video platform built around AirTime, a monetization system that pays out its native TUBE coin based on watch time rather than clicks or subscriber counts.

Launched in December 2017 without an ICO or premine, BitTube runs on a proof-of-work blockchain originally derived from the Monero codebase, using the CryptoNote family of algorithms (later forked to the ASIC-resistant CN Saber variant). Video and image files are stored on IPFS, a peer-to-peer network, rather than on centralized company servers, which is central to the platform's decentralization claims.

Whenever a viewer watches content, whether through the browser extension or a logged-in session, AirTime accrues and is split from a block reward: roughly 70% goes to the publisher, 20% to the viewer, and 10% funds ongoing development. Staking TUBE increases how much AirTime a publisher or viewer can accumulate, adding an incentive to hold rather than sell.

Because creators earn from the very first view, BitTube has attracted publishers whose videos were demonetized or removed elsewhere, offering a fallback income stream outside traditional ad networks. The project later extended the AirTime concept to general web browsing and launched a federated video app, BitTube.video, built on PeerTube and ActivityPub.

Like many small proof-of-work coins, TUBE has seen thin trading volume and a steep decline from its early highs, a reminder that a platform's usefulness does not guarantee its token retains market value.