Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has unveiled a revamped monetisation model for content creators, including a $1 million reward for the top-performing article, as it looks to deepen engagement and push longer-form content on the platform.
Announcing the changes on January 17, X said it is positioning 2026 as “the year of the creator”, encouraging users to “earn a living from your content.” In a post from its official @XCreators account, the platform said it ended last year with its highest payouts since the launch of its monetisation programme.
As part of the overhaul, X said it is doubling its creator revenue-sharing pool, attributing the move to growth in premium subscriptions during 2025.
“It’s only fair that we share this with our creators,” the platform said, adding that the increase “unlocks significantly higher payout potential for creators across the platform.”
Under the new system, creator earnings will now be calculated based on “Verified Home Timeline” impressions, rather than overall engagement metrics.
2026 is the year of the creator on 𝕏.
We closed 2025 with the highest payouts since our monetization program launched and we are just getting started. This year, our focus is clear: empower creators to grow on 𝕏 and earn more.
Here is what we’ve already rolled out this year…
— Creators (@XCreators) January 16, 2026
The company said the updated payout model is designed to reward content that meaningfully connects with users. “Your earnings are driven by real views from Premium users who see your posts in their Home feed,” X said, noting that the changes reflect a broader push toward longer-form and higher-impact content.
To further incentivise such content, X announced a $1 million reward for the top article in the upcoming payout cycle.
“Our goal is to recognize high-value, high-impact content that shapes conversation, breaks news and moves culture,” the platform said.
To qualify, creators must be Premium subscribers, publish original articles of at least 1,000 words, and comply with all platform policies. The reward will be limited to users in the United States, and content that is hateful, fraudulent or manipulative will be disqualified.
X also clarified that views from higher Premium tiers will carry more weight, adding that it will continue to deploy robust fraud-detection measures and penalise inauthentic activity.
