X ends creator revenue sharing, puts original content at the centre

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TL;DR:

X will end Creator Revenue Sharing on September 7 and replace it with Original Content Rewards, tying payouts more directly to original content and qualified Premium-user impressions. The change raises the cost of reposting and aggregation while strengthening incentives for reporting, analysis and creator-owned material.

Article:

X is retiring Creator Revenue Sharing on September 7, 2026, and replacing it with Original Content Rewards, a monetisation programme built around original posts and qualified impressions from Premium users. Existing participants can keep earning under the old system until September 7, while access to the replacement programme begins rolling out from September 8.

Under the new rules, creators need at least 500 verified followers and 500,000 home timeline impressions from verified users during the previous 90 days. X’s outgoing programme required five million organic impressions over three months alongside the same verified-follower threshold, although the two impression metrics are not directly comparable because the new measure specifically targets verified-user home timeline views and excludes replies.

The Musk-owned platform says the new programme is designed to “reward creators who produce original, high-quality content”. Original reporting, commentary, analysis, photographs, videos and creator-made graphics can qualify, while copied, minimally modified or aggregated material will not generate qualified impressions.

The change shifts creator monetisation away from sheer scale towards a narrower definition of valuable engagement. For news aggregators, repost accounts and creators dependent on recycled viral material, that could reduce monetisable reach. For journalists, analysts and specialist creators, the rules potentially increase the value of distinctive reporting and expertise.

X is not moving alone. YouTube’s monetisation policy similarly requires original and authentic content and restricts repetitive, mass-produced or lightly transformed material. That suggests creator platforms are increasingly using payouts, not simply moderation, to discourage low-value content.

For creators in India, which X lists as an eligible market, the practical priority is straightforward: build content that can demonstrate authorship and added value rather than optimise primarily for repost-driven engagement.