X Overhauls Creator Payments with New Original Content Rewards Program

Starting September 8, existing members must reapply under updated guidelines that prioritize "qualified impressions." To generate earnings, content must be viewed for at least half its duration by unique, verified Premium subscribers on the Home Timeline. Fraudulent, paid, or duplicate views are strictly excluded from the calculation. X has set clear boundaries for what constitutes original work: re-uploads, automated content, and posts with only minor edits are ineligible. To monetize, creators must add substantive analysis or creative editing to reposted material, ensuring that simple commentary no longer qualifies for payouts.

Eligibility hinges on a rigorous baseline: creators must be at least 18, maintain a paid X tier, hold an account in good standing, and reach 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users over a 90-day window. This transition follows a March adjustment to the previous revenue model, which had begun weighting engagement toward a creator’s home region. While the company claims these measures reward expertise and reporting, the shift reflects a broader effort to scrub the platform of low-effort reposting and non-original content.