What Are Twitch Bits?
Twitch bits are a digital Twitch currency in the form of animated gems that viewers can use to "cheer" on their favorite Twitch streamer during their video broadcasts.
When a viewer "cheers" using bit gem emotes, they can include a custom chat message to accompany it, which will appear in the live streams' chat section alongside their animated emotes.
Streamers can then convert bits from virtual currency to real currency. Only Twitch Affiliates or Twitch Partners can receive and cash in Twitch bits. You can learn how to become a Twitch Partner here.
Viewers can earn free bits by completing surveys or when they watch ads.
How Can You Send Cheer Bits To A Streamer?
If you're ready to send Twitch bits to your favorite streamers, you'll first need to earn Twitch bits either by purchasing bit gem emotes from the Twitch bits shop on a desktop browser or the mobile app.
Keep in mind that Twitch's official instructions encourage users to purchase bits from the desktop site, to avoid the additional charges incurred by Google Pay and Apple Pay.
How To Buy Twitch Bits Virtual Currency
To buy Twitch bits, either click the gem icon on the top right menu bar of the Twitch homepage:
Or, if you're on a channel page that has the Cheer message feature enabled, click the gem icon to the left of the emoji icon in the chat sidebar.
From here you can buy bits in various amounts from the menu displayed. The larger the amount, the greater the discount.
Complete the on-screen steps to complete your purchase and refill your Twitch bits balance!
How To Send Twitch Bits During Live Streams
If you want to support streamers during their live streaming content, you can Cheer using the bits you've purchased.
To do this, you must be on a channel that has the Cheer feature enabled. This is indicated with the gem icon to the left of the emoji icon.
Complete the on-screen steps to send your bits, including a custom message that will appear in the chat!
How To Earn Twitch Bits As A Streamer
The most straightforward way to earn Bits as a streamer is to have Cheering enabled on your channel. Cheering is automatically enabled for all Partners and Affiliates, so if you've joined the program there's nothing more you need to do!
If you want to adjust your Bits settings, you can do so from the Monetization dashboard here. Note that these settings can only be accessed from the desktop site.
You can also earn bits from extensions that your viewers use.
How To Cash In Twitch Bits
If you're a streamer, Twitch Bits that you've earned from your viewers will be stored on your account until you've accrued $100 worth of Bits (10,000 Bits total).
Once you've hit $100, your earnings will be automatically sent to the payment method you chose upon setting up your Twitch Affiliate account.
These methods include bank transfer, wire transfer, PayPal, eCheck, and physical check.
How Much Are Twitch Bits Worth?
One Twitch bit is worth exactly $0.01 USD.
That means 100 bits is worth $1.00 USD, and 1000 Bits is worth $10.00 USD.
While Twitch bits to USD conversion is 1:1, this may vary depending on your specific currency.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Twitch take from Twitch bits earnings?
Twitch takes about 29% of earnings from Twitch Bits. That means for every 100 Bits earned ($1.40 USD), Twitch takes approximately $0.40 USD.
What is the maximum amount of Twitch bits you can have?
You can hold up to 250,000 Bits at once (about $2,500 USD).
Is there a discount for buying Twitch bits in bulk?
Yes, the more bits you buy at once, the more you save. Twitch provides a discount percentage estimate beneath each Bits package on the Bits menu.