Diamonds and Beans in Bigo Live: the difference, the rate, and how to cash out

Bigo Live has two currencies that people constantly mix up: diamonds and beans. The names are different, and the link between them is direct — but their roles are opposite. One currency is spent by viewers, the other is earned by hosts. Let's figure out what's what, what the rate is, and how a streamer ultimately turns gifts into real money.

In short: who pays and who earns

Strip away all the details, and the picture is simple:

• Diamonds are what the viewer buys. Diamonds are used on air to send virtual gifts to favorite hosts.
• Beans are what the streamer receives. When a host is sent a gift, beans appear on their balance.
• Beans can then be withdrawn for real money.

In other words, money moves through the system along a chain: the viewer buys diamonds → sends a gift → for the host that gift turns into beans → the host withdraws the beans. Diamonds "flow in," beans "flow out."

Diamonds: the viewer's currency

Diamonds are the internal currency for support. A viewer tops up their balance and spends it on gifts: from simple hearts to expensive animated effects that clearly make the sender stand out on air. The bigger the gift, the more diamonds it costs.

An important trait: diamonds cannot be converted back into money. This is not a wallet but "fuel" for gifts. Once you buy them, you'll spend them inside the platform. So it's worth topping up only the amount you're ready to give in support of hosts.

Topping up your diamond balance from Russia directly in the app is currently tricky — the app stores don't accept Russian cards. A convenient workaround is an intermediary service that credits diamonds by your Bigo ID. A detailed look at the options is in a separate article: how to top up Bigo Live from Russia.

Beans: the streamer's currency

Beans work the other way around. The host doesn't buy them — they receive them for gifts from viewers. Every diamond gift that's sent is converted into beans for the streamer according to the platform's internal rules. Accumulated beans are, in essence, the host's earnings inside Bigo Live.

The key difference from diamonds: beans can be cashed out. The host withdraws them into real money through the withdrawal method or payment system linked to their account. That's exactly why beans matter to those who stream professionally, while diamonds matter to those who watch and support.

A side-by-side comparison

If you remember one line from the table, let it be the last one: diamonds can't be withdrawn, beans can. Everything else follows from that.

The rate: how much beans are worth on withdrawal

Many people want to know how much real money their accumulated beans are worth. Here's the guide:

Roughly around 210 beans ≈ 1 US dollar. This is an approximate figure: the platform sets and may change the rate, so it's always worth checking the exact amount in the app at the moment of withdrawal.

The rate is deliberately given as "approximate": it depends on the region, the platform's terms, and is periodically revised. Don't treat the number as fixed — think of it as a rough guide to estimate the ballpark, not an exact payout.

Note that the diamond purchase rate and the beans withdrawal rate are different things. There's a gap between how much a viewer paid for a gift and how much the host ends up receiving: part of the cost stays with the platform as a commission. That's normal mechanics for streaming services.

How a streamer withdraws beans

The withdrawal itself happens inside Bigo Live:

1. The host accumulates beans from viewers' gifts.
2. In the wallet/earnings section, they choose withdrawal and specify the amount of beans.
3. The beans are converted into money at the platform's current rate.
4. The funds go to the linked withdrawal method — a payment system or other details supported in their region.

No third-party services are needed to withdraw: cashing out is a built-in feature of the platform for hosts.

Bottom line

It's easy to get confused, but the logic is clear: the viewer buys diamonds to give, and the streamer earns beans to withdraw. Diamonds are spending and support; beans are income and withdrawal. The withdrawal rate is roughly around 210 beans per dollar and may be changed by the platform.

If you're a viewer and want to support your favorite host — diamonds are exactly what you need. You can top up their balance from Russia by Bigo ID through an intermediary service, without sharing your account login and password. Check the current amounts and prices on the Bigo Live page — that's also where you can pay by Russian card, via SBP, or with crypto, with credit going through automatically.

Ready to support a host? Top up your diamond balance on the Bigo Live page.