Observed Signal · Aug 11, 2023 · Policy Update · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
X Lowers Ad Revenue Threshold for Creators
X has broadened creator monetization by adjusting its ad revenue sharing rules. The eligibility threshold for sharing ads inside post replies has been reduced from 15 million to 5 million impressions in the last three months, enabling more users to earn revenue from ads. In addition, the minimum payout is now lowered from $50 to $10. Verification remains required to participate; users who do not subscribe to X Premium cannot receive shares, and X retains all earnings for non-verified accounts. The changes build on July’s earlier step allowing verified creators to participate in ad revenue sharing and follow Elon Musk’s recent statement of a reduced commission on Creator Subscriptions. The move is designed to bolster creator loyalty on X in a competitive landscape with alternatives like Meta’s Threads, though advertiser headwinds could still limit overall revenue shares for creators.
Policy Update on a major platform affecting creator monetization.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- X lowered eligibility threshold for ads revenue sharing from 15M to 5M impressions in the last 3 months.
- X lowered minimum payout threshold from $50 to $10.
- Verification is required to participate; non-verified users cannot receive revenue shares; X keeps all ad revenue for non-verified accounts.
- Elon Musk previously announced a reduced commission for Creator Subscriptions revenues.
- The change follows July 2023 when verified creators were first allowed to share ad revenue.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
X Enhances Creator Subscriptions with Exclusive Features
X announced a refresh of its Creator Subscriptions product, adding features including exclusive threads, a refreshed subscriptions paywall, a shareable subscriptions card, and a new creator dashboard with earnings and analytics. The update also highlights X’s recently launched "Paid Partnership" label for labeled sponsored posts and faster onboarding with a two-step subscription setup and sped-up application reviews. X said its Creator Revenue Sharing program has paid out more than $45 million to creators to date and that the revenue pool for 2026 has been more than doubled due to Premium subscription growth. The changes arrive alongside other X initiatives such as beta tests for XChat and X Money and updated content moderation rules for unlabeled AI videos depicting armed conflict.
X Cuts Payments to Clickbait and Aggregator Accounts
X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, announced the platform is reducing payouts to accounts that flood timelines with clickbait and rapid-fire news aggregation. Bier said all aggregators had their payouts reduced to 60% in the current pay cycle and will see another 20% reduction in the next cycle; X will also cut payments for habitual posters who prefix many posts with “🚨BREAKING.” The changes follow reports that several conservative news accounts received demonetization notices. Creator Dominick McGee (aka Dom Lucre) — who has 1.6 million followers and previously told The New York Times he earned about $55,000/year from X — said he was demonetized and lost access without explanation. The announcement re-ignited debate over X’s value as a traffic driver, with critics including Nate Silver questioning the platform’s ecosystem and Elon Musk publicly disputing some data critiques.
X Moves US Creator Payouts from Stripe to X Money
Elon Musk's social network X announced that all U.S. creator payouts, including earnings from the Original Content Rewards Program and creator subscriptions, will now be handled through X Money, the platform's payments service. The change takes effect immediately. X says payments are instant, with no waiting for a billing cycle or minimum threshold. Previously, payouts were processed every two weeks with a $30 minimum via Stripe. The announcement indicates U.S. creators are required to use X Money; non-U.S. creators remain on Stripe. The move comes ahead of X retiring its Creator Revenue Sharing Program on September 7, as creators shift to the Original Content Rewards Program. X Money, which is not a bank, holds accounts at FDIC-insured Cross River Bank. Payouts count toward direct deposit requirements for higher APY rates. X will issue 1099-NEC forms for individuals and collect W-9s from LLCs.
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