YouTube Premium subscribers have started receiving $2 in free Super Chat credits to support their favorite creator during a livestream. The company has confirmed that it is beta testing monthly Super Chat gifts.

Livestream viewers can pay almost any amount they would like to send a Super Chat, which becomes highlighted in the real-time chatroom. The proceeds go to the host with YouTube taking a cut.

We know that the free Super Chats have been distributed as early as March. For some, the credits come in the form of a single $2 Super Chat. Others have gotten two 99-cent chats per allotment. In either case, users had to be on the mobile YouTube app to see the credits — there was no way to access the cash from the YouTube or the YouTube Gaming webpages.

In this writer's case, the following terms and conditions were given for the Super Chats:

Send Super Chats for free

YouTube Premium is giving you 1 free, $2.00 value Super Chat every calendar month until May 31, 2019. When you send a Super Chat, your message will stand out and the creator will earn a share. Your free Super Chat will refresh on the 1st day of every calendar month, but it won't accumulate. This is a limited time offer in the United States that can change at any time.

We talked with a user who got two 99-cent credits last month and recalls that he used at least one of them before April 1. He has since gotten two more 99-cent credits.

Ryan Wyatt, who heads gaming among other divisions at YouTube, has confirmed that the free, monthly Super Chats are part of a beta test.

We have asked Wyatt for further comment and will update this story if we hear back.

Those who pay $12 a month for YouTube Premium membership get other benefits such as ad-free viewing across all content and free music streaming on Google Play Music.

Thanks: @Sk1er_