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X has announced a $1 million cash prize for the author of the most popular long-form article published on the platform during its current payout period, marking one of the largest single creator incentives ever offered by a social media company.
According to the company, the competition runs through January 30, and the prize will be awarded to the article that generates the highest level of visibility among verified users on the platform.
In a statement outlining the initiative, X said:
“We’re trying something new: we’re giving $1 million to the Top Article of the next payout period.
We’re doubling down on what creators on 𝕏 do best: writing.
In 2026, our goal is to recognize high-value, high-impact content that shapes conversation, breaks news and moves culture.”
To qualify, articles must be original, contain at least 1,000 words, and will be evaluated “primarily on Verified Home Timeline impressions.” Eligibility is restricted to U.S.-based users who are subscribed to X Premium, the paid tier required to publish long-form articles on the platform.
X recently expanded its Articles feature to all Premium subscribers, rather than limiting it to Premium+ accounts, widening the pool of potential participants. Based on X’s publicly discussed Premium subscriber figures, an estimate fewer than 300,000 users are currently eligible, with only a fraction actively publishing long-form content.
Performance data shared by X from previous article engagement suggests that topics resonating with paying users tend to cluster around politics, economics, technology, and cultural commentary. Among the platform’s top-performing articles last year were deep dives into U.S. government accountability, global economic trends, opinionated commentary on Tesla and innovation, and politically charged satire.
Because the contest is judged on impressions rather than editorial review, success depends heavily on how widely an article is surfaced to verified users. X’s ranking systems promote content that generates strong engagement signals, meaning authors must appeal directly to the platform’s paying audience rather than a general readership.
The initiative aligns with X’s broader effort to increase the volume of long-form content flowing through the platform. Industry analysts note that longer articles also provide richer material for training and refining xAI systems, complementing the platform’s vast supply of short-form posts.
At the same time, the push comes amid ongoing tension between platform leadership and traditional media. Platform owner Elon Musk has frequently criticized mainstream journalism, while policy and moderation changes over the past two years have led many reporters and publishers to reduce their presence on X.
