Brian Armstrong Promised Me $100 in Bitcoin — So Where is it?

A recent tweet by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong offered $100 in crypto to people who provided the “best examples” of using cryptocurrency in Africa. In response, the author of this article shared a video of himself using Bitcoin in Africa, which quickly became the most-liked and most-shared response. Despite over 600 likes and 100 retweets, Armstrong appeared to have ignored the submission, prompting the author to reach out to key opinion leaders within the Bitcoin community to amplify the tweet. Wicked, an anonymous Bitcoin educator and data analyst, tagged Armstrong in a post, drawing attention to the author’s tweet video about Bitcoin in Africa.

Armstrong eventually affirmed that the Lightning Network is great and something Coinbase will integrate, and tweeted that he had sent the author the $100. However, Armstrong sent the money to what he thought was the author’s Lightning address, which he mistook for an email address.

This mistake highlights the need for education on the Lightning Network, an instant payment solution built on top of Bitcoin. While using the Bitcoin blockchain for the first time can be nerve-wracking, using the Lightning Network is relatively easy. As we move further into the future, the use of instant payment solutions like the Lightning Network will only continue to grow in popularity.

Overall, the incident with Armstrong and the author’s Lightning address serves as a reminder of the importance of education and familiarity with new technology, particularly in the world of cryptocurrency. As more people begin to use these innovative payment solutions, it is crucial to understand their features and potential pitfalls. In this case, Armstrong’s mistake may have been a minor one, but it serves as a valuable lesson for those new to the Lightning Network and other instant payment solutions.