Dogecoin Looks to Expand Reach with Tipping App on Facebook

Dogecoin's aim to become "the internet currency" will be helped by the launch of an updated Facebook app allowing people to tip friends in dogecoin on the world's largest social network.

The updated Dogecoin Tipping app is still in its experimental phase but will now allow anyone who already owns dogecoin to tip or transfer some of the cryptocurrency to one of their friends directly from their wall.

As well as being an easy way to transfer the meme-based cryptocurrency from one person to another, the bigger potential for dogecoin and its very active community is to spread word of the cryptocurrency to a much bigger audience.

In order to get started, you will need to authorise the app on the official page so your Facebook profile becomes connected. Once connected, you'll get a unique dogecoin wallet address, in which you can deposit any amount of dogecoin you want to tip.

There are then a couple of ways in which you can send dogecoin to your friends. The first is to go to the GiveDogesTo group and start tipping your friends or other people.

The second is to invoke what is called the Dogetipping Bot, which allows you to send the cryptocurrency directly from your own wall or a friend's wall.

If the person you are tipping is not a user of the app, it will send them a notification. When the tip is accepted, the person gets a wallet address and full access to use their coins on the app or transfer them to some other wallet.

Warning

However some users on Reddit believe it is irresponsible for the developers of the app to release it at this stage, as it is unknown how Facebook is going to react.

Should Facebook decide to shut down the service it is unclear what may happen to any dogecoin deposited within the system.

Earlier this month creators of dogecoin, which has only been in existence for a little over two months, said their hope for it was to see it become "the internet currency" and the "de facto tipping currency of the internet."

While bitcoin remains the world's most recognisable and valuable cryptocurrency, dogecoin is not looking to replicate the success of bitcoin in financial terms, and is not designed to become an investment vehicle for people looking to make a lot of money.

It is instead based on generosity and in the last couple of months the community has raised tens of thousands of pounds to help send athletes to the Winter Olympics in Sochi as well as raising money for charities.