X Replaces Revenue Sharing with Original Content Rewards, Tightening Creator Eligibility
X replaces Revenue Sharing with Original Content Rewards to prioritize originality. New rules require Premium, 500 verified followers and 500,000 impressions.
X said it will retire its longstanding Revenue Sharing program and launch a new Original Content Rewards scheme designed to reward creators who produce unique material. Existing participants will earn under the old program through September 7 and can apply to the new program beginning September 8. The move signals a shift toward valuing original reporting, images, video, and commentary that adds fresh perspective to the platform.
X to End Revenue Sharing Program
X announced it is closing enrollment for its current Revenue Sharing program and will stop accepting new applicants immediately. Current participants will continue to receive payments until September 7, after which the company will transition eligible creators into the new framework. The company framed the change as a reset intended to correct incentives it says became misaligned under the previous plan.
Transition Timeline and Eligibility
The company set a clear timeline for the swap: existing creators have until September 7 under the legacy rules, and applications for Original Content Rewards open on September 8. Applicants must subscribe to one of X’s Premium tiers and meet two quantitative thresholds: 500 verified followers and at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users within a 90-day period. X described these thresholds as minimums intended to identify creators with demonstrable reach and engagement.
Definition of Original Content
X outlined what it considers original content for the new program, including original reporting and analysis created by the poster, photos and videos produced by the creator, and graphics or memes they designed. Commentary qualifies when it adds distinct, original perspective rather than merely echoing others. The platform emphasized that originality will be evaluated by whether a post meaningfully contributes new material to the conversation.
Examples Excluded from Rewards
Posts that are merely copied from other accounts, downloaded and reuploaded, or reposted without meaningful transformation will not qualify for Original Content Rewards. Aggregated or repackaged material that relies primarily on others’ work is explicitly excluded unless the reuser adds substantial original value. X said it will continue refining how it enforces these rules and will adjust its criteria and models over time.
Creator Backlash and Recent Policy Shifts
The announcement follows months of iterative changes and public debate over how X calculates creator payouts. Earlier adjustments reduced payments to aggregation and clickbait accounts, and a prior reversal granted more weight to a creator’s local audience after backlash. Critics of the previous system argued it rewarded redistributors rather than originators, while some high-earning creators cautioned that new rules could cut established revenues.
Company Rationale and Next Steps
X executives framed the overhaul as an attempt to realign incentives so creators focus on producing new material rather than optimizing for payouts under loopholes. The company said it would continue to refine program models and raise standards over time to ensure the program scales with platform quality. X encouraged creators to review the new eligibility criteria ahead of the application period and prepare original work that meets the stated standards.
The shift to Original Content Rewards marks a major change in how the platform compensates creators and could reshape content strategies across the site. Creators who depend on aggregated feeds or reposting will need to adapt, while originators of distinctive reporting, images, and commentary stand to benefit if they meet the new thresholds. Observers will be watching how X enforces originality and whether the program sustains higher-quality contributions on the platform.
