X to end creator revenue sharing, launch new rewards programme

MUMBAI: X is changing the way it pays creators, and this time, reposting the internet’s homework will not make the cut. X is shutting down its Creator Revenue Sharing programme and replacing it with an Original Content Rewards programme that puts greater emphasis on original, high-quality content.

The platform stopped accepting new creators into Creator Revenue Sharing on August 7, 2026, and plans to retire the programme completely on September 7.

Existing participants will continue earning under the current system until September 7. X has scheduled three final payouts for August 14, August 28 and a final payment covering earnings accrued through September 7, expected around September 11, according to information reported by ET Online.

From September 8, existing Revenue Sharing participants will begin getting access to apply for the new Original Content Rewards programme.

The biggest change is what X considers worthy of monetisation.

The new programme is designed to reward creators for original posts, articles, videos and images. Commentary, analysis and reactions to news or cultural events can also qualify when creators add their own perspective, expertise or creative input.

Simply reposting someone else’s work will not qualify.

X’s rules exclude copied posts, videos and images, content featuring only minor edits, aggregated material and content taken from other platforms and uploaded without meaningful original contribution.

The platform is also tightening its stance on automatically generated and misleading content, including material designed primarily to exploit the monetisation system.

Creators will have to clear a significantly higher threshold to enter the new programme.

Applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have an X account in good standing
• Use a Personal or Business Account
• Have an active X Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business subscription
• Generate at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users over the previous 90 days
• Have at least 500 verified followers
• Regularly publish original content

Political and government organisation accounts will not be eligible.

Meeting the requirements will not automatically guarantee entry. Eligible creators will still need to apply, with X saying it expects to respond within three business days.

Under the new system, payouts will be based on qualified impressions generated by original content.

X defines a qualified impression as a unique view from an X Premium subscriber on the Home Timeline, with at least 50 per cent of the post visible.

Repeated views from the same account will not count. Neither will paid or promoted impressions, artificially generated views or fraudulent activity.

Creators who remain eligible will receive payments every two weeks.

X is also drawing a firmer line against attempts to game the rewards system.

Copied or substantially reproduced material, automatically generated content, misleading posts and content that violates the platform’s rules will not qualify for payouts. Posts carrying a helpful Community Note may also be excluded.

Creators cannot use bots or automated tools to artificially inflate likes, follows, views, comments or shares. Repeatedly asking users to engage with posts solely to increase monetisation is also prohibited.

Violations could result in temporary or permanent removal from the rewards programme.

Creators already enrolled in Creator Revenue Sharing do not need to make an immediate switch.

They can continue earning through September 7, after which access to applications for Original Content Rewards will begin rolling out.

Creators who have already completed identity verification and linked a valid payout method will not need to repeat those steps.

However, creators whose monetisation is currently suspended because of an earlier policy violation will not be eligible to enrol in the new programme for now.

The overhaul signals a broader shift in X’s creator strategy: from rewarding activity and reach under its existing revenue-sharing model to placing a much greater premium on content that is genuinely created for the platform. For creators, the message is fairly simple: on X’s new pay scale, originality is no longer just a creative virtue, it is becoming the price of admission.