Watch out, TikTok: 105 million micro-video fans are jumping into crypto

cointelegraph.com:

"Micro-videos" have taken the world by storm — with short, viral clips grabbing the attention of today's teenagers, and forming the next generation of social media.

But there's one platform that was pioneering this concept much earlier than the likes of TikTok, Instagram and YouTube — or even Vine.

Coub launched in spring 2012, and the premise is simple: each video is up to 10 seconds long and plays on the loop with a full-length audio track or song, allowing to form unique audio-visual mashups. The clips are known as "coubs."

Now, fresh from celebrating its 10th anniversary, the social network is stepping into the world of Web3 — with a brand-new approach to monetization.

As part of the transition, Coub plans to focus on "watch-to-earn" — unlocking new opportunities for creators and viewers — complete with a built-in NFT marketplace.

With over 11 million monthly users as of May 2022 and more than 105 million active participants each year, the platform aims to build on these strong foundations, empowering its dedicated community and usher in the next generation of social media.

Coub says its approach to video represents a "truly innovative and impactful multimedia format" — packing as much content and substance as possible into a microscopic 10-second timeframe. Given how today's internet users, including Generation Z, are focused on instant, non-verbal communication, this couldn't be more timely.

The website claims to offer a new vision for media content platforms that's suited to the "ownership era," as Coub describes today's social media landscape. As well as a new breed of Web3 services that's monetized for viewers and creators alike, creatives can enjoy direct, peer-to-peer interactions with their audience through NFTs,