YouTube has extended its Jewels live stream donation feature to Canadian creators and rolled out improved editing controls for Shorts, the company announced this week. The updates aim to strengthen monetization options for vertical video creators and improve production tools across the platform.
Jewels, YouTube’s digital currency for live stream tipping, launched in the United States in late 2024 for creators enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program. The feature allows viewers to purchase Jewels through the mobile app and exchange them for animated stickers that appear during vertical live streams.
Creators receive payment in the form of Rubies, with one Ruby equaling one cent. When viewers send gifts using Jewels, streamers earn a variable revenue share depending on the bundle purchased and any promotional pricing YouTube may be running. The platform confirmed Canadian creators in the YouTube Partner Program can now access the monetization option, though viewers must still use the YouTube mobile app to purchase Jewels and send gifts.
As YouTube puts it:
Gifts are a fun and interactive way for viewers to express appreciation for creators during vertical live streams. Jewels are digital items that viewers can purchase to send gifts, and creators earn Rubies based on the Jewels that viewers redeem for gifts.
The expansion comes as YouTube competes with platforms like TikTok and Instagram that have established live stream gifting as a significant revenue source for creators. According to YouTube, tens of thousands of channels have more than doubled their earnings from fan funding year over year, with creators earning from live streams in the United States growing over 20 percent annually.
The company is also testing a conversational AI tool on smart TVs, gaming consoles and streaming devices that would allow connected TV viewers to ask questions about content using voice commands. Selected users can access the feature by pressing an Ask button during video playback and using their remote microphone or voice button to submit queries. The AI chatbot provides in stream responses without interrupting playback. YouTube has not set a timeline for broader deployment of the CTV AI feature.
In a separate update, YouTube changed how Shorts appear in the YouTube Studio mobile app, switching from a list format to a grid display that matches the main app experience. Creators retain the option to revert to list view if preferred. The Shorts editing interface on Android devices now comes with new track based controls that provide frame level precision. Creators can now zoom into individual tracks within the video composer screen, rearrange elements, and adjust timing for each component of their Shorts. The editing improvements address complaints from creators who found the previous interface too restrictive for detailed adjustments. The platform said iOS users will receive the updated editing tools in the coming weeks.
YouTube did not announce pricing changes or new monetization thresholds alongside the feature updates.
YouTube first announced Jewels at its Made On event in September 2024 and spent months refining backend systems before the initial rollout. The company has not disclosed when the feature will expand beyond North America, stating only that announcements will come at a later date.
