Original Content Rewards program is X’s new creator monetization programme, introduced to replace Creator Revenue Sharing and put greater emphasis on original work.
On 7 August 2026, X stopped accepting new enrolments into its Creator Revenue Sharing programme. Existing creators will continue earning under Revenue Sharing until 7 September 2026, with X beginning to roll out applications for Original Content Rewards to existing members from 8 September.
This is more than a change of name.
X is changing what it wants to reward. Under the new programme, creators will earn from qualified impressions generated by content that reflects their own ideas, expertise, perspective or creativity.
For creators who have built their accounts around original analysis, reporting, commentary, videos, images or expertise, the new programme could create an opportunity. For accounts that depend heavily on reposting, aggregation, engagement farming or other people’s viral content, the rules are becoming much tougher.
Why Is X Replacing Creator Revenue Sharing?
Creator Revenue Sharing allowed eligible creators to earn money from content that generated engagement and impressions on X.
To qualify, creators needed an eligible Premium subscription, at least 500 verified followers and at least 5 million organic impressions within the previous three months.
X says the problem was that the incentives created by Revenue Sharing had become misaligned with what the platform wanted creators to produce.
In announcing Original Content Rewards, X Creators Product lead Allegra Jacchia explained that creators should be focused on bringing new content to the platform rather than primarily optimizing their activity to maximize payouts.
Today, we’re launching Original Content Rewards.
The reality is that Revenue Sharing had reached a point where its incentives were misaligned. Creators should be focused on bringing net new content to the platform instead of maximizing payouts. We could have kept adding more… pic.twitter.com/VJIxqlPrjm
— Allegra Jacchia (@allegrajacchia) August 7, 2026
Rather than continue adding more restrictions and exceptions to Revenue Sharing, X decided to create a new programme built around originality from the start.
The thinking behind it is straightforward: X wants to reward creators who give users something new to read, watch or discuss.
That could be an original video, an informed opinion, industry expertise, reporting, analysis, a creative idea or commentary that adds useful context to an existing conversation.
When Is X Creator Revenue Sharing Ending?
X is phasing out Creator Revenue Sharing over several weeks.
Here are the key dates creators need to know:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7 August 2026 | X stops accepting new enrolments into Creator Revenue Sharing |
| 14 August 2026 | Existing Revenue Sharing members receive a scheduled payout |
| 28 August 2026 | Existing members receive another scheduled payout |
| 7 September 2026 | Existing creators stop earning under Creator Revenue Sharing |
| 8 September 2026 | X begins rolling out access for existing Revenue Sharing members to apply for Original Content Rewards |
| Around 11 September 2026 | X expects to make the final Revenue Sharing payout for earnings accrued through 7 September |
If you are already part of Creator Revenue Sharing, you will not automatically become a member of Original Content Rewards.
You will need to meet the new requirements and apply. Creators who have already completed identity verification and connected a valid payout method will not have to repeat those steps.
Creator Revenue Sharing vs Original Content Rewards: What Changed?
One of the most noticeable differences between the two programmes is the number of impressions required.
Revenue Sharing requires at least 5 million organic impressions in three months. Original Content Rewards requires at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users within 90 days, with impressions from replies excluded. But the numbers should not be compared as though X has simply reduced the threshold from 5 million to 500,000.
They are measuring different things.
Here is a clearer comparison:
| Requirement | Creator Revenue Sharing | Original Content Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Eligible content generating meaningful engagement | Original, high-quality content |
| Verified followers | At least 500 | At least 500 |
| Impression requirement | 5 million organic impressions in 3 months | 500,000 verified-user Home Timeline impressions in 90 days |
| Reply impressions | Part of broader organic impressions | Excluded from eligibility threshold |
| Original content requirement | Governed by existing monetization standards | Explicit core requirement |
| Application | Eligible creators complete monetization setup | Eligible creators must apply and be reviewed |
| Payout frequency | Every two weeks | Every two weeks |
| Minimum payout | $30 | $30 |
The headline threshold is lower, but the new measurement is more specific. A creator could have hundreds of thousands of impressions from replies or non-verified users and still fail to reach the 500,000 Home Timeline impression requirement.
A useful way to understand the change is this:
The volume requirement has come down, but the originality requirement has become much stronger.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Original Content Rewards?
To apply for the Original Content Rewards Program, creators must meet several requirements.
You must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be based in a country where the programme is available.
- Have a Personal or Business account.
- Have an active X Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business subscription.
- Have at least 500 verified followers.
- Generate at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users in the previous 90 days.
- Regularly publish original content.
- Have an account in good standing.
- Follow X’s monetization rules and Terms of Service.
Political and government organization accounts are not eligible.
For Kenyan creators, Kenya is among the countries where Original Content Rewards is available.
Meeting all these requirements does not guarantee that X will accept you into the programme. Once eligible, you must submit an application, which X says it will review before approving or rejecting your participation.
If an application is rejected, a creator can appeal once. If that appeal is unsuccessful, they can apply again after 90 days as long as they continue meeting the eligibility requirements.
What Counts as Original Content on X?
This is the most important part of the new programme.
X defines original content as content you have personally written, filmed, designed or produced that reflects your voice, expertise, perspective or creativity.
That means creators do not necessarily have to produce professional videos or photography to qualify.
Your knowledge and perspective can also be original content.
For example, a digital marketer could explain what a new Google Ads policy means for businesses. A journalist could provide additional context to a developing news story. A football analyst could explain the tactical decisions that affected a match. A financial expert could break down what an economic announcement means for ordinary consumers.
The underlying topic may already be public, but the creator is contributing their own analysis, explanation or expertise.
X specifically recognizes commentary, reactions and analysis as forms of original expression when the creator adds genuine perspective or useful context.
What Content Will Not Qualify?
The new rules are much tougher on content where most of the value comes from someone else’s work.
X says the following will not be considered original:
- Copying another creator’s text, image or video.
- Downloading someone else’s content and reuploading it to X.
- Changing only a few words from another person’s post.
- Adding a filter to someone else’s content.
- Changing the speed of another creator’s video.
- Adding a basic text overlay without substantially transforming the work.
- Compiling content from different creators without adding substantial new framing or perspective.
- Taking someone else’s content from another platform and reposting it on X.
Importantly, attribution does not automatically make copied content original.
You may give the original creator credit and still have content that does not qualify for Original Content Rewards.
However, creators can republish their own original work from another platform on X.
What Are Qualified Impressions?
Original Content Rewards introduces another term creators need to understand: qualified impressions.
X says creators will earn based on qualified impressions generated by their original content.
A qualified impression is a unique Home Timeline impression from a user subscribed to Premium Basic, Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business, where at least 50% of the post is visible.
X excludes:
- Repeat impressions from the same user on the same post.
- Paid or promoted impressions.
- Artificially generated impressions.
- Fraudulent impressions.
This means the total view count displayed on your post and the number of impressions X considers eligible for earnings can be very different.
A post with one million total impressions does not automatically have one million qualified impressions.
Creators therefore need to look beyond public view counts when evaluating whether their content is helping them qualify for the programme.
Reply Farming May Become Less Useful for Monetization
Replying under viral posts has become a popular growth tactic on X.
Creators often reply quickly under posts from celebrities, media organizations, influencers and large accounts in the hope that their responses will attract thousands of impressions.
That approach can still expose an account to new audiences.
But there is now an important limitation for creators interested in monetization.
X explicitly says impressions on replies do not count towards the 500,000 Home Timeline impressions required to qualify for Original Content Rewards.
For creators who have relied heavily on reply impressions, this may require a change in strategy.
Main-feed original posts now matter much more.
Engagement Farming Can Also Affect Your Eligibility
Original Content Rewards also places restrictions on attempts to manufacture engagement.
X says creators participating in the programme should not repeatedly instruct users to like, reply, bookmark, follow or repost their content.
The programme also prohibits the use of bots, automated tools or other methods designed to artificially generate views, likes, comments, follows or shares.
Posts built mainly around tactics such as “Like and repost this”, “Follow everyone who replies” or similar engagement exchanges could therefore put monetization eligibility at risk.
Creators will need to focus more on making content people naturally want to engage with.
What Happens If Your Post Gets a Community Note?
Accuracy also has financial consequences under Original Content Rewards.
X says content containing misleading information or disinformation is ineligible for payouts.
A post that receives a helpful Community Note is also ineligible for earnings.
This matters particularly for creators who regularly post about breaking news, politics, finance, technology and other subjects where information can develop quickly.
Speed can generate impressions, but creators also need to verify the information they publish.
What Does Original Content Rewards Mean for Creators?
The new X creator programme creates clear opportunities, but it also puts pressure on creators to rethink how they build reach.
1. Expertise has more value
Creators who understand a subject deeply have an advantage.
Your knowledge of marketing, technology, finance, sport, fashion, entertainment, politics or any other niche can become content when you use it to help audiences understand what is happening.
You do not always need exclusive information. Sometimes your value is in explaining information better than everyone else.
2. Aggregators will need to add more value
Accounts that mainly repost viral videos, screenshots, news headlines or other creators’ posts will face a tougher monetization environment.
Curating information can still be useful to an audience, but creators need to add substantial analysis, context or perspective.
There is a difference between redistributing information and contributing something to it.
3. Mid-sized creators could have an opportunity
Five million organic impressions in three months placed Creator Revenue Sharing beyond the reach of many smaller creators.
The new 500,000-impression requirement could make the programme accessible to more creators.
However, these must be the right type of impressions: verified-user impressions generated on the Home Timeline.
The programme is therefore not necessarily easier. It simply rewards a different combination of reach and content.
4. Building around your own ideas becomes more important
A strong creator account should give people a reason to follow the person behind it.
What do people learn from you?
What do you understand particularly well?
What experiences can you share?
What perspective do you provide that another account cannot easily reproduce?
Those questions become more important when originality directly affects your ability to earn.
What Should Creators Do Before 8 September?
If you are currently in Creator Revenue Sharing or hope to qualify for Original Content Rewards, start by reviewing your content strategy.
Audit your recent content. Look at your last 30 to 60 days of posts and identify how much was created by you, how much added substantial commentary and how much simply redistributed existing content.
Publish more original main-feed posts. Reply impressions can still help with visibility, but they will not count towards the new 500,000-impression eligibility requirement.
Use your expertise. Analysis, explanations, reporting, personal experience and informed commentary can all create original value.
Add context when sharing other content. Don’t simply repost something with a short reaction. Explain what happened, why it matters or what your audience should understand.
Avoid engagement farming. Do not build your content strategy around repeatedly asking users to like, repost, bookmark, follow or reply.
Verify information before posting. Misleading content and posts that receive helpful Community Notes are not eligible for rewards.
Existing Revenue Sharing members should also check Creator Studio → Original Content Rewards from 8 September 2026 as X begins rolling out access to applications.
X Is Changing What It Pays Creators For
The replacement of Creator Revenue Sharing with Original Content Rewards tells creators a lot about the type of content X wants on the platform.
Reach still matters. Qualified impressions are what generate payouts. But getting attention is only part of the equation. The content generating that attention now needs to demonstrate original value.
For creators, this puts more weight on original ideas, expertise, reporting, analysis, creativity and meaningful commentary while reducing the monetization value of copied posts, low-effort aggregation and engagement farming.
The question is therefore becoming less about “How many impressions can I generate?”
A better question is:
“What am I creating on X that gives people a reason to follow me rather than the accounts I am reposting?”
For creators who can answer that consistently, Original Content Rewards could be an opportunity.
