X Ends Creator Monetization and Launches New Original Content Rewards Program
X Ends Creator Revenue Sharing, Launches New Original Content Rewards Program
X is overhauling its creator monetization system, ending its existing Creator Revenue Sharing program and replacing it with a new initiative called the Original Content Rewards Program.
The change marks a major shift in how creators on the social media platform will be rewarded. Instead of broadly tying creator payouts to engagement generated under the previous revenue-sharing system, X says the new program will place much greater emphasis on original ideas, reporting, expertise, creativity and commentary.
Existing creators will not simply be transferred automatically into the new system. X has announced that current Revenue Sharing participants will be able to apply for the new program beginning September 8, 2026, provided they meet the updated eligibility requirements.
The existing Revenue Sharing program will continue through September 7 before being discontinued.
The move could have a significant impact on thousands of creators who have built their income around X, particularly accounts that rely heavily on reposts, viral content or material originally published elsewhere.
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| Source: XPost |
X Is Changing How Creators Get Paid
X introduced its previous Creator Revenue Sharing system as part of its broader effort to build a creator economy on the platform.
Under that system, eligible creators could receive payments connected to advertising revenue and engagement generated around their posts.
The model helped turn X into an important source of income for some creators.
However, it also created incentives for certain accounts to focus heavily on maximizing impressions rather than producing genuinely original material.
That dynamic has increasingly become a problem across social media platforms.
X's new approach is designed to put the emphasis back on the creator.
The company says the Original Content Rewards Program will reward people who contribute original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity and meaningful commentary.
September 8 Becomes the Key Date
For creators currently participating in X's monetization system, September 8 will be an important date.
X has stopped accepting new enrollments into the old Revenue Sharing program.
Existing participants can continue receiving payouts under the current system until September 7.
Beginning September 8, eligible creators will be able to apply for the new Original Content Rewards Program.
This means creators who previously relied on X's monetization program will need to pay attention to the transition rather than assuming their existing status will automatically carry over.
The change effectively creates a new application process and a new set of standards.
Original Content Will Matter More
The biggest difference in the new program is the emphasis on originality.
X says it wants to reward content that adds something meaningful to the platform rather than simply reproducing material that already exists.
That can include original reporting, personal analysis, expert commentary, original videos, photography, graphics and other creative work.
For news creators, this could create an important opportunity.
Accounts that consistently provide original reporting, explain developments or add meaningful analysis could potentially benefit from the new model.
By contrast, accounts that primarily repost headlines or copy material from other sources may find it harder to qualify for meaningful rewards.
Reposting May No Longer Be Enough
The change could be particularly significant for accounts built around reposting.
Social media has developed a large ecosystem of accounts that take existing content, rewrite a headline and distribute it to large audiences.
Some accounts have accumulated enormous impressions using this strategy.
Under X's new direction, simply generating large amounts of engagement may not be enough.
The platform is increasingly signaling that the content itself must provide something original.
That could change the behavior of creators across X.
X Wants to Reward “What You Add”
The philosophy behind the new system can be summarized relatively simply: X wants creators to contribute something rather than merely redistribute information.
That could mean an original perspective on breaking news.
It could mean first-hand reporting.
It could mean a detailed explanation of a complicated subject.
It could also mean creative work that users cannot find elsewhere.
For creators, this could encourage a move away from high-volume posting toward more distinctive content.
New Eligibility Requirements
The new program also introduces specific eligibility standards.
According to information reported about the program, applicants must be at least 18 years old and have an account in good standing.
Creators must also have an eligible Premium subscription.
The requirements include at least 500 verified followers and 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users during the previous 90 days.
The impressions requirement excludes impressions from replies.
These requirements mean that X is not opening the program to every account.
Creators must already demonstrate a certain level of audience reach before they can participate.
Premium Membership Remains Important
An X Premium subscription is another important component of the new system.
Eligible creators must subscribe to X Premium, Premium+ or an eligible Premium Business plan.
That means monetization remains closely connected to X's paid subscription ecosystem.
For creators, the cost of maintaining a Premium subscription will therefore remain part of the economics of participating in the program.
The broader strategy appears to be designed to connect creator monetization with X's subscription business while simultaneously encouraging higher-quality content.
Qualified Impressions Will Become Important
The new program is expected to determine rewards using qualified impressions rather than simply counting every view.
That distinction could significantly change how creators approach content.
A post that receives millions of impressions is not necessarily going to generate the same value if those impressions do not meet X's qualification standards.
This could make raw view counts less useful as a measure of creator earnings.
Creators may instead need to focus on attracting the right audience and producing content that meets X's standards.
Why X Is Making the Change
The transition comes as X attempts to improve the quality of content on the platform.
The previous monetization model generated criticism because some creators appeared to optimize their posts for engagement rather than value.
That could lead to repetitive posts, engagement bait and large volumes of recycled material.
X's new system appears designed to address that problem.
By tying rewards more closely to original content, the company hopes to create stronger incentives for creators to produce material worth reading, watching and sharing.
The Battle Against Low-Effort Content
One of the biggest challenges facing social networks is low-effort content.
Algorithms reward engagement.
Creators respond by producing whatever generates the highest number of clicks, views or reactions.
That can create a cycle where sensational or repetitive content outperforms thoughtful material.
X's new monetization strategy attempts to change those incentives.
If original content receives stronger financial rewards, creators may have a greater reason to invest time in research, writing, video production and analysis.
News Publishers Could Be Affected
The new program could also have implications for media organizations.
News publishers have increasingly used X as a distribution channel.
Some accounts post links to articles.
Others publish summaries or breaking-news updates directly on the platform.
Under the new system, publishers and journalists who add original reporting could have an advantage.
However, accounts that simply copy articles from other publications may face greater difficulty.
This could encourage more media organizations to produce platform-specific reporting rather than simply republishing website headlines.
Crypto Creators Could Feel the Impact
The change could be particularly important for the crypto community.
X remains one of the most influential platforms for cryptocurrency discussions.
Crypto traders, analysts, journalists, researchers and project founders use the platform to distribute information rapidly.
The industry also has a large number of accounts focused on reposting market updates.
The new monetization system could therefore reward accounts that provide original analysis and market commentary while making pure aggregation less attractive.
For crypto media, the distinction between reporting and reposting could become increasingly important.
Original Reporting Could Become More Valuable
Consider two accounts covering the same breaking story.
The first simply reposts a news report.
The second provides the key facts, explains the background, adds context and offers original analysis.
Under a system designed around original content, the second account may have a stronger opportunity to qualify for rewards.
That could encourage creators to become more like journalists, analysts and commentators.
It could also increase the amount of useful information available on X.
Creators Will Need to Adapt
The transition means creators should not wait until September 8 to think about their strategy.
Anyone hoping to join the new program should examine the type of content they currently publish.
Creators should consider whether their posts contain original ideas, personal analysis, reporting, commentary or creative material.
They should also review their audience and engagement patterns.
Accounts that rely heavily on recycled content may need to change their approach.
The New Model Could Reward Expertise
One potentially important aspect of the new program is its emphasis on expertise.
A creator who understands a particular industry can provide value that is difficult to replicate.
A financial analyst can explain market movements.
A technology researcher can analyze new developments.
A journalist can provide original reporting.
A developer can explain technical changes.
That expertise can become a creator's competitive advantage.
X Is Trying to Build a More Sustainable Creator Economy
The long-term objective appears to be building a creator ecosystem where financial rewards encourage useful content.
For X, that could improve the platform in several ways.
Better content could increase user engagement.
More valuable creators could attract additional users.
Higher-quality discussions could improve the overall reputation of the platform.
And a stronger creator economy could make X more competitive with other social networks.
There Are Still Questions About the New System
Despite the announcement, creators may still have questions about exactly how payouts will be calculated.
The definition of qualified impressions will be particularly important.
Creators will also want to understand how X determines whether content is sufficiently original.
Automated systems will likely play an important role in evaluating large volumes of posts.
That creates another challenge.
Determining originality at scale is difficult.
Two creators can discuss the same news event while producing completely different original commentary.
Enforcement Will Be Critical
The success of the new program will depend heavily on enforcement.
If low-effort content continues to receive substantial rewards, the incentive structure may not change significantly.
If X successfully identifies copied material and rewards genuine contributions, creator behavior could change quickly.
The platform will therefore need to balance automated moderation with fair evaluation.
A Major Reset for X Creators
The end of Creator Revenue Sharing represents more than a simple name change.
It is a reset of the economic relationship between X and its creator community.
The old system focused heavily on revenue generated through engagement.
The new program places originality at the center of the equation.
That difference could reshape what creators publish every day.
What Creators Should Do Now
Creators preparing for the transition should focus on several areas.
First, they should ensure their accounts meet the eligibility requirements.
Second, they should maintain an active Premium subscription if required.
Third, they should work toward the follower and impression thresholds.
Most importantly, they should increase the amount of original material they publish.
That could include original reporting, personal commentary, analysis, videos, graphics or educational content.
The objective should be to create material that offers something users cannot get simply by reposting another account.
Final Outlook
X is preparing for one of the biggest changes to its creator monetization system since the launch of Creator Revenue Sharing.
The existing program will end after September 7, with the Original Content Rewards Program taking its place.
From September 8, existing creators will have to apply for the new system if they want to continue participating.
The biggest change is clear: originality will become much more important.
X says it wants to reward creators who bring original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity and meaningful commentary to the platform.
That could represent a major opportunity for journalists, analysts, researchers, video creators and other users who produce genuinely original work.
At the same time, creators whose strategies depend heavily on reposting, copied material or low-effort engagement tactics may face a much tougher environment.
The transition could ultimately change what users see on X every day.
If the new incentives work as intended, the platform could see fewer recycled posts and more original reporting, analysis and creative work.
For creators, September 8 will mark the beginning of a new monetization era on X.
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Ethan Collins is a passionate crypto journalist and blockchain enthusiast, always on the hunt for the latest trends shaking up the digital finance world. With a knack for turning complex blockchain developments into engaging, easy-to-understand stories, he keeps readers ahead of the curve in the fast-paced crypto universe. Whether it’s Bitcoin, Ethereum, or emerging altcoins, Ethan dives deep into the markets to uncover insights, rumors, and opportunities that matter to crypto fans everywhere.
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