BitTorrent unveils cryptocurrency so users can pay for faster download times

BitTorrent, the file-sharing network for downloading all sorts of entertainment, was acquired by cryptocurrency firm Tron last August for $140 million in cash. Today, we’re seeing the next logical evolution, with BitTorrent announcing its own cryptocurrency token users can buy, sell, or trade to get faster download times.

It’s a big step in marrying peer-to-peer file sharing protocols with a blockchain-based decentralized cryptocurrency. The BitTorrent token is the first part of Tron founder Justin Sun’s vision for a decentralized internet. Tron’s aim in buying BitTorrent was to gain access to the network’s consumers, who could enable mass market adoption of cryptocurrency, according to Sun.