X has officially ended its long-running Ads Revenue Sharing program for content creators worldwide. The platform retired the old system on September 7, 2026. In its place, X launched a new payout model called the Original Content Rewards Program. The stated goal is rewarding genuine creators rather than copy-paste accounts.
The shift addresses a problem that plagued the platform for years. Under the old model, many accounts simply chased engagement to maximize payouts. Consequently, users flooded feeds with reposted, stolen, and low-quality content. X admitted the previous program’s incentives had become badly misaligned over time.
The new program pays based on qualified impressions from Premium users. Importantly, those impressions must come from verified subscribers viewing original posts. X defines original content as a user’s own writing, reporting, photos, or videos. Memes and illustrations that users create themselves also qualify for rewards.
However, the rules on reposts are notably strict. Creators can still earn from others’ posts, but only with meaningful additions. This means adding genuine commentary, analysis, or creative editing. Simply slapping captions on someone else’s video will not count anymore.
As X states:
Content will be ineligible if:
- It is copied or substantially reproduced from another creator
- It is downloaded from X or another platform and reuploaded onto X (unless you are the author of that content)
- It was created or posted using automated means
- It is inappropriate, sexually explicit, or potentially harmful to viewers
- It is exclusively focused on monetization coaching, monetization discussion, or maximizing payouts
- It contains disinformation or misleading content
- It has a helpful Community Note
- It violates our Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, or Copyright Policy
Applications for the new program open on September 8, 2026. Existing revenue-sharing participants must reapply once they become eligible. To qualify, creators need an active Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business subscription. Additionally, they require at least 500 verified followers to participate. They must also hit 500,000 Home timeline views from verified users within 90 days.
The change carries particular significance for Pakistan’s creator scene. Since monetization launched, many Pakistani accounts adopted questionable tactics locally. Allegedly, some journalists and creators hired teams solely to clip live TV broadcasts. Others downloaded viral videos from TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram to repost. These accounts assumed X’s algorithm would not catch the copied content.
That entire strategy now faces a serious reckoning. Because the new system rewards only original work, copy-paste farming loses its viability. As a result, Pakistani creators genuinely producing original content could benefit substantially. Meanwhile, those relying on aggregation face losing their income entirely. Ultimately, X hopes this reset will fill feeds with authentic material rather than recycled clips.
