Steemit's payment system works by rewarding bloggers and commenters with its own cryptocurrency called Steem for creating quality content and engaging with the community.
Here's how it works:
When you post a blog article or leave a thoughtful comment on Steemit, other users can "upvote" your content. The more upvotes you get, the more you earn.
The value of each post or comment payout is determined by a formula that takes into account factors like the "Steem Power" (influence) of the users who upvoted, the total amount of Steem in the system, and the time since the post was created.
Payouts are split between the content creator (at least 75%) and the curators (users who upvoted). So the more influential curators who upvote your content, the higher your potential earnings.
Earnings are paid out in Steem cryptocurrency and Steem Dollars, a token pegged to the US dollar. You can withdraw your earnings to an external cryptocurrency exchange and convert to fiat currency.
Steemit's blockchain-based architecture ensures transparency and immutability of the payment system. Once a payout is made, it cannot be reversed or censored.
So in summary, Steemit incentivizes users to create and curate great content by directly rewarding them with cryptocurrency, which can then be converted to real money. The more value you add to the community, the more you earn.