Decentralized social network Bluesky has secured millions in a Series A funding round led by Blockchain Capital to double down on its service expansion.

Bluesky, the decentralized social network co-founded by Jack Dorsey, has reinforced its focus on user-centric design by announcing it β€œwill not hyperfinancialize the social experience” through the launch of a token.

The statement comes alongside a $15 million funding round led by Blockchain Capital, a venture firm that previously backed Anchorage, BitGo, and Coinbase, among others. The funding was also supported by Alumni Ventures, True Ventures, SevenX, and others, the company revealed in a Thursday blog announcement on Oct. 24.

While Bluesky did not disclose its valuation, the company noted that the new capital would help boost its growth trajectory, which has seen its user base surpass 13 million since its transition to an open platform earlier this year. Despite being backed by a web3-centric firm, Bluesky reiterated its decision to refrain from launching a token.

β€œ[…] Bluesky app and the AT Protocol do not use blockchains or cryptocurrency, and we will not hyperfinancialize the social experience (through tokens, crypto trading, NFTs, etc.)”

Under the funding agreement, general partner at Blockchain Capital Kinjal Shah will join Bluesky’s board. Shah β€œshares our vision for a social media ecosystem that empowers the people who use it, and we are glad to have her support as we invest in driving the adoption of decentralized social,” the company stated.

Additionally, Bluesky will begin developing a subscription model for features like β€œhigher quality video uploads or profile customizations like colors and avatar frames.” Bluesky emphasized it will β€œalways be free to use,” claiming that its belief is based on the conviction that β€œinformation and conversation should be easily accessible, not locked down.”

β€œWe won’t uprank accounts simply because they’re subscribing to a paid tier.”

Despite its ambitious plans, Dorsey distanced himself from Bluesky, expressing disappointment in the platform’s alignment with conventional social media practices, particularly regarding moderation tools. His exit from the board has raised concerns that the social network is deviating from its core goal of decentralization, potentially mirroring the challenges Twitter encountered during his tenure.

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