Social media platform X is reportedly in talks to use stablecoins like Circle's USDC to pay royalties to content creators, aligning with its new Original Content Rewards Program. The program replaces X's ad-based Revenue Sharing model. While X has not officially confirmed the plans, the move mirrors Elon Musk's SpaceX, which uses stablecoins for Starlink payments in emerging markets, and follows the March 2026 hiring of Coinbase veteran Benji Taylor.
X stablecoin creator payments
- ▪Social media platform X is in ongoing discussions to explore using stablecoins, such as Circle Internet's USDC, to pay royalties to content creators and influencers.
- ▪Binance founder Changpeng Zhao stated in June 2026 that Elon Musk told him social media platform X was staying away from cryptocurrency at that time.
- ▪Other social media platforms are also testing stablecoins to pay commissions to influencers, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
- ▪Mark Zuckerberg's Meta has begun paying select creators in USDC on the Solana and Polygon blockchain networks.
- ▪Social media platform X has not released an official announcement, timeline, or confirmation regarding the implementation of stablecoin payments as of August 20, 2026.
Original Content Rewards Program
- ▪Social media platform X is rolling out the Original Content Rewards Program to compensate creators for original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity, and commentary.
- ▪Social media platform X's official announcement of the Original Content Rewards Program did not mention stablecoins or any digital assets.
- ▪Social media platform X is phasing out its long-running Revenue Sharing program, which compensated creators based on advertisement impressions and engagement metrics.
Cross-border payment efficiency
- ▪Stablecoins enable faster and cheaper cross-border transactions, bypassing traditional banking infrastructure limitations and foreign exchange exposure.
- ▪The global stablecoin market has grown to exceed $300 billion in total market capitalization, attracting major payment companies like Visa and Mastercard.
- ▪Social media platform X began rolling out X Money to a subset of Premium+ subscribers in June 2026, offering peer-to-peer payments, a Visa debit card, and a savings product.
Benji Taylor crypto hire
- ▪Elon Musk hired crypto veteran Benji Taylor in March 2026 as the head of design at social media platform X, with a role spanning X, xAI, and SpaceX.
- ▪Benji Taylor previously led design at Coinbase Global's Base blockchain network and has a background in digital wallets and decentralized finance.
SpaceX Starlink stablecoin use
- ▪Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya stated in December 2024 that SpaceX's Starlink converts customer payments in long-tail countries into stablecoins to avoid foreign exchange exposure.
- ▪Elon Musk's SpaceX uses stablecoins to collect cross-border payments from Starlink satellite internet customers in emerging markets.
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