X terminates Creator Revenue Sharing programme, launches Original Content Rewards

X terminates Creator Revenue Sharing programme, launches Original Content Rewards

Elon Musk's social media platform X has shut down its Creator Revenue Sharing programme after three years of operation, closing new applications on August 7, 2026. The platform will issue final payments around September 11 for earnings accumulated through September 7, marking the end of a system that paid out $415 million to creators in 2025 alone.

The terminated programme, launched in July 2023, initially paid creators based on advertisements displayed in replies to their posts. Creators needed 15 million impressions over three months to qualify, though X later lowered that threshold to 5 million impressions. By October 2024, the platform had already overhauled the model once, shifting from advertising revenue to sharing up to 25 percent of Premium subscription payments based on engagement from paying users.

Misaligned incentives drive programme termination

X Head of Creators Allegra Jacchia explained that the programme's incentives had become misaligned, with some creators republishing content from others rather than producing original material to earn payouts. The problem had been festering for months—in May 2024, X Head of Product Nikita Bier announced the platform was cracking down on large accounts programmatically reuploading content from smaller creators to game the revenue-share system, deploying Grok AI to detect non-original uploads.

Despite the issues, the programme grew substantially. X paid creators $260 million in 2024, jumping to $415 million in 2025, with the 2026 revenue pool more than doubling due to Premium subscription growth. The platform now counts 14.2 million Premium subscribers, with the Premium+ tier reaching 4.7 million subscribers and growing 38 percent year-over-year.

New programme rewards original work only

X's replacement Original Content Rewards programme will compensate creators exclusively for original reporting, analysis, commentary, videos, memes, photographs, graphics and other creative work. Payments will be calculated based on qualified impressions generated by original content, with payouts distributed every two weeks.

The new system maintains some familiar requirements while adding stricter standards. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, reside in a supported country, operate a Personal or Business X account, and maintain an active Premium, Premium Business or Premium Organizations subscription. Premium subscriptions range from $3 monthly for Basic to $8 for Premium—the minimum tier required for monetisation eligibility—and up to $16-$40 monthly for Premium+, with web subscriptions typically cheaper than iOS or Android versions due to app store fees.

Creators must also have at least 500 verified followers, generate at least 5 million organic impressions over three months, post original content regularly, and comply with X's User Agreement and creator monetisation rules.

Application and payout structure

Applications can be submitted through Creator Studio, with decisions arriving within three business days. Rejected applicants may appeal once, and if unsuccessful, can reapply after 90 days if they remain eligible.

Earnings will depend on several factors, including impressions from verified users in the Home timeline, the viewer's subscription tier, content format, and the level of meaningful engagement generated. The minimum payout remains $30. Creators must connect a Stripe payout account or an X Money Account where available and complete identity verification. X joins platforms like Substack and Clubhouse in partnering with Stripe to process creator payments globally, with Stripe Connect enabling onboarding in over 40 countries while handling know-your-customer requirements.

Reality check for creator earnings

The programme changes come as only 0.3 percent of X users currently qualify for creator monetisation, with median monthly earnings around $130. The top 1 percent of monetised creators earn over $5,000 monthly, while the top 0.1 percent exceed $25,000 per month, revealing extreme income inequality within the platform's creator economy.

X's move reflects broader industry trends. The creator economy, now valued at over $100 billion and expected to double by 2027, sees platforms increasingly abandoning fixed creator funds in favour of revenue-sharing models tied to engagement and content quality.

Stricter rules on AI conflict content

Alongside the programme overhaul, X has tightened restrictions on AI-generated videos depicting armed conflicts. Since March 3, 2026, creators posting AI-generated conflict videos without proper disclosure face 90-day suspensions from Creator Revenue Sharing. Repeat violations result in permanent payment suspension.

Existing creators will receive scheduled payouts on August 14 and August 28 before the programme concludes, with the final payment covering all earnings accrued through September 7.