X tries to limit creator revenue for foreign influencers but Musk intervenes | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.X tries to limit creator revenue for foreign influencers but Musk intervenesComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsCreatorsCloseCreatorsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All CreatorsX tries to limit creator revenue for foreign influencers but Musk intervenesThe pending update would disincentivize X users from posting about American politics from outside the US.The pending update would disincentivize X users from posting about American politics from outside the US.by Stevie BonifieldCloseStevie BonifieldNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Stevie BonifieldMar 25, 2026, 5:23 PM UTCLinkShareGiftX wants to make money on previously used handles. Image: The VergeStevie BonifieldCloseStevie BonifieldPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Stevie Bonifield is a news writer covering all things consumer tech. Stevie started out at Laptop Mag writing news and reviews on hardware, gaming, and AI.X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, announced a change to the platform’s creator payouts on Tuesday, but according to Elon Musk, the change isn’t going live just yet.Bier shared a post announcing that in determining payments, X “will be giving more weight to impressions from your home region.” The motivation appears to be discouraging engagement farming via political posts, with Bier adding that, “While we appreciate everyone’s opinion on American politics, we hope this will disincentivize gaming the attention of US or Japanese accounts.”The pending change could be an effort to address an issue that was highlighted in November when X rolled out a feature showing where users’ accounts are based from. The feature revealed that many accounts posting prolifically about American politics are not based in the US, including many users claiming to be Americans. X quickly removed information about where accounts were created, though, and added disclaimers about travel, VPNs, and proxies potentially leading to inaccurate location data.Bier specifically called out political content in a response to another X user’s reply to his original post, commenting, “Of course, you’re welcome to continue chiming in on America [sic] politics. We just won’t send money overseas for that content.”However, Musk replied several hours later in a post stating, “We will pause moving forward with this until further consideration.” The update to creator payouts was supposed to roll out on Thursday, but it sounds like that will no longer be the case after Musk’s follow-up post.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Stevie BonifieldCloseStevie BonifieldNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Stevie BonifieldCreatorsCloseCreatorsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All CreatorsNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechTwitter - XCloseTwitter - XPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Twitter - XMost PopularMost PopularNvidia CEO Jensen Huang says ‘I think we’ve achieved AGI’Welp, I bought an iPhone againOpenAI just gave up on Sora and its billion-dollar Disney dealDonut Lab’s solid-state battery could barely hold a charge after getting damagedAyaneo says selling its Windows gaming handheld ‘is no longer sustainable’The Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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X, formerly known as Twitter, is implementing a significant adjustment to its creator revenue distribution model, a change initially announced by Head of Product, Nikita Bier, and subsequently paused by CEO Elon Musk. The core of the shift involves prioritizing impressions generated within a creator's “home region” when determining payout amounts. Bier’s rationale, articulated in a post, was to discourage engagement farming, particularly through prolific postings regarding American politics, stating the intention to “disincentivize gaming the attention of US or Japanese accounts.” This action followed the unveiling of a feature in November that identified the geographic origins of accounts posting extensively about American politics. The revelation highlighted a substantial number of accounts—many claiming to be American—originating outside the United States, utilizing techniques such as travel, VPNs, and proxies to mask their true locations. X swiftly removed location data information initially presented within the feature and implemented disclaimers to address the potential for inaccuracies.

Bier further emphasized this restriction in a direct response to user feedback, explicitly stating that while political commentary was permitted, financial compensation wouldn’t be provided for content originating outside of the US. This intervention by Bier underscores a desire for greater control over content distribution and monetization, particularly regarding politically charged topics. However, Musk’s immediate reaction was to halt the planned rollout entirely, indicating a period of reconsideration is underway. The original timeline for the change, scheduled for Thursday, has been abandoned, leaving the specifics of the new payout system unresolved. This intervention highlights Musk’s characteristic tendency to disrupt established processes and initiate strategic pauses for assessment before implementation. The initial move reflects a concern about the platform's use for artificially inflating engagement metrics, a persistent challenge for social media platforms attempting to balance freedom of expression with revenue generation. The action also demonstrates a renewed focus on combating the use of deceptive account practices to manipulate audience attention. The pause suggests a more thorough evaluation of the potential implications of the change and the complexities of regulating content creation across international borders.