Peer-to-peer filesharing giant BitTorrent announced on Dec. 30 that DLive, the blockchain-based live streaming platform, will be joining its ecosystem.

Through this partnership, DLive will bring peer-to-peer content sharing and live streaming capabilities to BitTorrent's 100 million monthly active users.

BitTorrent CEO Justin Sun told Cointelegraph that following YouTube’s crypto-content ban, decentralized content platforms are the future.

“It’s unfortunate to see content platforms such as YouTube taking down crypto-related content, this is the issue with centralized agencies. Decentralized content platforms such as TRON’s newest partner DLive are the platforms of the future.”

DLive, which was launched nearly 2 years ago, already has over 5 million monthly active users and a passionate live streaming community. In April 2019, one of the world’s most famous YouTubers, PewDiePie, conducted his first live stream on DLive. PewDiePie has since co-streamed on DLive with famous YouTubers like Ninja, James Charles, and Jack Black.

Sun explained that DLive is one of the leading blockchain-based platforms for live streaming.

"DLive is one of the best real-world examples of what is possible when you combine blockchain and digital media. DLive is a great solution for live media producers. Think of how valuable live streaming content is already to centralized social media platforms who take ownership and advantage of their users' hard work. We look forward to DLive bringing value to the entire world with the addition of TRON and BitTorrent's global community of passionate creators."

DLive will merge its account systems with BitTorrent's to further integrate the communities. For example, BLive, the live streaming platform introduced by BitTorrent in early 2019, will migrate into DLive, joining the teams together.. DLive will also advertise their products and services on BitTorrent networks to generate awareness for decentralized content sharing.

DLive’s CEO, Charles Wayn, noted that he is looking forward to the integration.

"We are ecstatic to have the opportunity to be part of the BitTorrent ecosystem. I've watched them pioneer the digital peer-to-peer space. DLive's goal of empowering creators and rewarding communities is one step closer with the amplification of this new venture."

Creating a truly decentralized content sharing platform

DLive, which is currently built on the Lino blockchain (previously hosted on the STEEM blockchain), will migrate to the TRON blockchain as a result of the collaboration. TRON acquired BitTorrent in July 2018 to merge the systems together in an effort to create the world’s largest decentralized protocol for file sharing.

DLive will continue to support the Lino blockchain until the transition to the TRON blockchain is complete. While the Lino blockchain technical infrastructure will be integrated into BitTorrent, the LINO coin cryptocurrency used by DLive to pay content creators will no longer be the fundamental unit of value in the new ecosystem.

To facilitate the integration of BitTorrent’s BTT cryptocurrency into the existing DLive ecosystem, DLive plans to offer benefits and rewards to existing users to transition from the Lino blockchain onto the BitTorrent ecosystem.

DLive will also use BitTorrent’s new service for file storage, known as the BitTorrent Filesharing System (BTFS).

According to Sun, BTFS is one of the largest decentralized protocols in the world and will make it almost impossible to delete information from the internet.

Sun told Cointelegraph that BitTorrent plans to collaborate with cryptocurrency influencers to demonstrate how BTFS ensures content remains online.

“We plan to work with crypto influencers, as many have experienced their content being deleted on YouTube, Twitter, Reddit and other centralized platforms. As long as they use the BTFS network, it will be impossible to delete content, as everything is distributed across BitTorrent users’ computers globally.”

Moreover, Sun noted that the BTFS network is completely free of a centralized authority, enabling DLive to becoming truly decentralized moving forward.

“All the content on DLive is currently monitored by a dedicated team to ensure adherence to their community guidelines. This partnership takes us closer to our goal of making the TRON BitTorrent ecosystem a developer’s paradise. We want to bring all of our developers customized tools together with an engaged audience so they can share their projects. The same is true for DLive. We want DLive live streamers and content creators to have access to the largest peer-to-peer audience in the world, one that is free from a centralized authority.”

Sun revealed to Cointelegraph that the BTFS network will launch in Q1 of 2020.