X replaces ‘misaligned’ revenue sharing program with Original Content Rewards | TechCrunch

The social media service formerly known as Twitter is phasing out its existing creator monetization system in favor of a new structure called Original Content Rewards.

Beginning in early September, the platform will transition away from its standard Revenue Sharing program, stopping new enrollments and shifting existing participants to the updated application process. To qualify for financial rewards under the new framework, users must subscribe to one of the platform's premium tiers and meet specific performance metrics, including maintaining at least five hundred verified followers and generating a half-million impressions from verified accounts within a ninety-day window. The fundamental shift centers on rewarding authentic, primary material over copied media.

Under these revised guidelines, acceptable uploads include firsthand reporting, self-produced videos or photographs, and custom-made memes. Conversely, straight copies, minor edits, and direct reposts of existing content will no longer be eligible for payouts. This strategic pivot follows a sequence of controversial attempts to reform the previous payout system, which frequently drew complaints from high-profile accounts when the platform attempted to penalize clickbait or aggregation. Company leadership noted that the prior system encouraged users to optimize for maximum views through unoriginal posting rather than bringing genuine value, prompting the decision to build a completely new program focused entirely on unique creations.