Elon Musk says X will boost creator payouts beyond YouTube while tightening fraud controls, signaling a stronger push to lure video and news creators.
Elon Musk has signaled a potential shift in the economics of online content creation, suggesting that X could soon pay creators more than YouTube as it intensifies efforts to compete with the world’s largest video platform.
In a post on X on Wednesday December 31, 2025, Musk responded to calls for higher creator payouts by endorsing the idea while stressing the need for stricter enforcement against abuse. Tagging X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, Musk wrote, “Ok, let’s do it,” adding that any increase would come with “rigorously enforcing no gaming of the system.”
Bier replied that the company was already working on changes, saying X had developed a new approach that could eliminate the vast majority of fraudulent activity tied to engagement-based payouts. The exchange fueled speculation that X is preparing a major overhaul of its creator monetization program.
The comments build on Musk’s earlier acknowledgments that X has struggled to match YouTube’s earning potential for creators. In October, Musk said the platform was underpaying contributors and failing to distribute revenue effectively, conceding that YouTube handled creator compensation more successfully.
X launched its creator monetization program after Musk acquired the platform, allowing eligible, verified users to earn a share of advertising revenue tied to engagement on their posts. While the initiative attracted attention, many creators have said payouts remain inconsistent and often fall short of what they can earn on YouTube.
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Some creators welcomed Musk’s latest remarks as a potential turning point. Independent journalist Nick Shirley, who gained wide attention for investigative reporting that went viral on X, said higher payouts could change how creators prioritize platforms. He noted that many creators still focus their efforts elsewhere because returns on X have lagged behind YouTube’s AdSense model.
Other users described the prospect of stronger payouts as a “game changer,” arguing that better compensation would attract higher-quality reporting, analysis, and video content. Several pointed to the growing reliance of artificial intelligence systems on online material, saying platforms that reward creators fairly could shape the future of digital knowledge.
For X, improving monetization is central to Musk’s broader strategy to transform the platform into an “everything app” that combines social media, payments, and long-form content. Boosting creator earnings could help retain influential voices and draw video creators who currently depend on YouTube for income.
While Musk did not provide details on timing or scale, his remarks suggest X is preparing to raise the stakes in the battle for creators. Whether the platform can sustainably pay more than YouTube while controlling fraud remains an open question, but the signal to creators was clear: competition for their content is intensifying.