Under this new feature, users who pay to highlight their messages will be able to keep them visible for a set amount of time, depending on how much they spend. For example, the most basic tier will let you pay $5 to keep your message on top for up to 30 seconds, while the highest tier will cost you $100 and will put your message in the spotlight for 2.5 minutes. There is even a special version which will display the highlighted message at the bottom of the video like a ticker.
For now, this test is being conducted with a handful of streamers, who will be able to notice the highlighted texts thanks to a special chevron icon that will be located next to the cheer button. All the unread highlighted messages will be queued like the rest of the chat and will face the same strict moderation standards for offensive or inappropriate content. This desktop-only test will run for up to four weeks, after which it may or may not get released to the rest of the platform.
One thing to keep in mind is that users who do decide to pay will have to do it through their credit cards, as the process doesn't involve buying bits like the cheering model. This means that the transaction will involve credit card processing fees, which will be taken out of the streamers' cut. Thankfully, the revenue split is kept at 70/30, so there will be some offset for streamers as well. Although the platform will still take out various taxes and fees, so only time will tell what the final profit margins turn out to be.