X Scraps Creator Payout Program — Replaces It With 'Original Content Rewards'

X is shutting down its creator revenue-sharing program on September 8th, replacing it with a new system dubbed 'Original Content Rewards.' The move, confirmed by reports from TechCrunch, The Verge, and Engadget, represents another significant pivot in the platform's chaotic attempt to build a stable creator economy. The new program introduces stricter eligibility requirements, including a threshold of at least 500,000 impressions from verified users, a detail first reported by The Verge.

An Overhaul for a 'Misaligned' System

The outgoing program is being retired after what sources describe as a controversial and inconsistent run. TechCrunch reported that X itself acknowledged the previous system was 'misaligned,' a frank admission for a program that has undergone numerous revisions under Elon Musk's ownership. The previous rewards sharing system was frequently criticized for rewarding engagement bait and rage-farming over substantive posts, with creators reporting wildly fluctuating and unpredictable payouts.

This constant iteration has created uncertainty for creators attempting to build a business on the platform. By sunsetting the old program on September 7th, as noted by Engadget, X is drawing a hard line. The question is whether this new framework offers the stability that its predecessor lacked or if it's just another layer of complexity for creators to navigate.

The New Rules of Engagement

The 'Original Content Rewards' program comes with a new set of rules clearly designed to filter out low-quality engagement. According to The Verge, eligibility now demands creators have at least 500 verified followers and generate a minimum of 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from other verified users. The emphasis on impressions from verified, paying subscribers is the most significant change. This suggests a direct strategy to filter out bot activity and reward content that paying customers find valuable.

This pattern indicates a deliberate tightening of the monetization loop. X is no longer rewarding raw virality; it is explicitly rewarding content consumed by the user segment that pays the company directly. While the name 'Original Content Rewards' signals an intent to foster higher-quality posts, the metric remains impressions. This leaves the door open for a new kind of gaming the system, one focused on appealing to the specific demographic of X Premium subscribers rather than the platform's user base as a whole.