YouTube has partnered with payment service Paysafe, giving more consumers the ability to make transactions on the platform.
Paysafe is a card-based payment system for those without access to digital banking. A Paysafe card can be purchased at over 650,000 sales outlets across the world, alongside pre-paid vouchers that can be redeemed online.
The expansion to YouTube follows Paysafe's initial partnership with the Google Play Store in June 2018.
With the new Paysafe option, customers can sign up for YouTube Premium with cash rather than a debit or credit card. This option is available to customers in the UK, Germany, Spain and France.
Digital cash
“We’re delighted to be extending our relationship with Google to support additional services in its portfolio," Paysafe chief executive Udo Müller said.
"By giving customers the option to pay for its service using cash online, YouTube Premium is opening up its membership to millions of additional customers.”
YouTube is also expanding commercial opportunities for creators on the platform too. The platform plans to offer merchandising, expanded memberships, and developed chat features to help creators monetise their work, alongside YouTube's standard CPM offering.
It's also a good time for YouTube to expand ways to pay for its premium service; the company is currently being investigated by the FTC following allegations of violating children's privacy, so a fine may be imminent.
The FTC just handed out a record-breaking $5bn fine to Facebook, as well as a $5.7m fine to rising video platform TikTok earlier this year. YouTube may well be the next recipient of a hefty financial slap on the wrist.
