Bluesky payments plan skips ads to pay creators directly

Bluesky is moving to monetize the decentralized social network by introducing payments, a first step toward letting people buy, sell, and fundraise directly on the platform. The changes were laid out by CEO Toni Schneider and COO Rose Wang at TechCrunch Disrupt on Thursday, with a clear message: advertising isn’t the only path to revenue.

Schneider, who previously led WordPress Automatic, said Bluesky wants to support commerce and fundraising that already happens on the network, but make it easier for users to participate. The idea is to let people buy what they see, give money to causes, or back creators without leaving Bluesky’s ecosystem, and to do it in a way that works across the entire network and any apps that use Bluesky’s protocol.

Wang described monetization as a coming reality that won’t hinge on ads. She compared the company’s approach to building an ecosystem where value flows to those who generate it, not just a handful of platform owners. “What was really promising about having Toni join us is he built at WordPress Automatic a $10 billion business where a billion of it goes back to the parent company and the rest of it goes to the ecosystem,” she said. Bluesky also emphasizes its Public Benefit Corporation status, which they say keeps the mission front and center while pursuing revenue.

The plan isn’t about a single feature launch. It’s framed as a broader shift to a more open internet where creators and communities can capture value directly on the network, rather than relying on ad sales alone. Schneider framed payments as a bridge to a healthier economy on Bluesky, where support for posts, projects, and fundraising can flow through the platform without locking users into one business model.