Elon Musk’s social media platform X has announced a significant change in how it processes payouts to U.S.-based creators. Starting September 2, 2026, all payments for X’s Original Content Rewards Program and creator subscriptions in the United States will be made exclusively through its own payment service, X Money. This update ends the previous system, which used Stripe to handle creator payouts. X confirmed that no alternative payout methods will be available to U.S. creators going forward.

One key advantage of this transition is the immediacy of payments via X Money. Creators will receive their funds instantly when sent, without waiting for a minimum payout threshold or the end of a billing cycle. Previously, payouts were processed biweekly and required a minimum balance of $30 before issuing a payment. This shift aims to offer greater flexibility and faster access to earnings for creators who generate revenue through the platform.

X Money is an integrated financial service that supports a range of features beyond instant payments. Launched as part of Elon Musk’s broader vision to make X an “everything app,” X Money includes a bank card offering 3% cashback, free ATM withdrawals, and competitive interest rates—up to 6% APY for X Premium users compared to the standard 4%. Although accounts are FDIC-insured through Cross River Bank, X Money itself is not a bank, functioning instead as a payment facilitator within the ecosystem.

This payout system update coincides with other changes at X’s creator programs. The upcoming retirement of X’s Creator Revenue Sharing Program on September 7, 2026, will see existing members transitioned into the Original Content Rewards Program, emphasizing a focus on content originality. While creators in the U.S. are required to use X Money for their earnings, creators outside the U.S. will continue receiving payouts through Stripe. X also clarified tax compliance by issuing 1099-NEC forms for individual creators and collecting W-9 forms for LLCs.