Does TikTok Creator Fund still exist?

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Is the TikTok Creator Fund still active in 2025?

The TikTok Creator Fund is completely defunct as of 2025 and has been permanently discontinued.

TikTok officially shut down the Creator Fund to transition all eligible creators to the Creator Rewards Program, which launched as the Creativity Program Beta in late 2023 before becoming the standard monetization method. The company made this change to address widespread creator complaints about extremely low payouts and lack of transparency in the original fund.

Creators who were previously enrolled in the Creator Fund were automatically notified about the transition and given the opportunity to apply for the new program. However, the eligibility requirements became significantly more stringent, meaning not all previous Creator Fund participants qualified for the replacement program.

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What program has replaced the TikTok Creator Fund?

The Creator Rewards Program has completely replaced the TikTok Creator Fund as the platform's primary monetization tool for content creators.

This program evolved from what was initially called the "Creativity Program Beta" during its testing phase in 2023. The Creator Rewards Program represents a fundamental shift in TikTok's monetization philosophy, focusing on rewarding high-quality, original, longer-form content rather than simply paying based on view counts.

The new program operates on a more sophisticated algorithm that considers multiple engagement factors including watch time, audience retention, comment engagement, and content originality. This approach aims to incentivize creators to produce more substantive content that keeps viewers engaged for longer periods.

How does the new TikTok Creativity Program Beta work, and who can join it?

The Creator Rewards Program (formerly Creativity Program Beta) operates on a qualified view system that requires specific engagement thresholds and content quality standards.

The program calculates payouts based on qualified views, which are defined as views where users watch for at least 5 seconds and don't mark the content as "not interested." Additionally, the algorithm factors in total watch time, audience retention rates, engagement metrics like comments and shares, and content originality scores.

Eligibility Criteria	Specific Requirement	Additional Details
Age Requirement	Must be 18 years or older	Verified through TikTok's age verification process
Follower Count	Minimum 10,000 followers	Must be authentic followers, not purchased or bot accounts
View Threshold	100,000 authentic video views in past 30 days	Views must be from unique users and not artificially inflated
Account Standing	Good standing with Community Guidelines	No recent major violations or strikes on account
Geographic Location	Must reside in eligible country	Currently US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Brazil
Content Requirements	Videos must be at least 1 minute long	Original content only, no duets, stitches, or reposts eligible
Application Process	Apply through TikTok app Creator Tools	Review process can take 7-14 days for approval

What are the current eligibility requirements to earn money through TikTok's monetization tools?

TikTok's monetization requirements vary significantly depending on which specific tool you want to access, with the Creator Rewards Program having the most stringent criteria.

For the primary Creator Rewards Program, you need to be at least 18 years old, maintain 10,000+ followers, generate 100,000+ authentic video views within the past 30 days, keep your account in good standing with no recent guideline violations, and reside in an eligible country. Your content must also meet originality standards and be at least one minute long to qualify for payouts.

Other monetization features have different thresholds: TikTok LIVE gifting requires you to be 18+ and have the ability to go live, TikTok Shop requires seller account approval and varies by region, Tips feature requires 100,000+ followers in eligible regions, and Series requires account approval regardless of follower count.

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How much do creators typically earn from the TikTok Creator Fund or its replacement program?

The Creator Rewards Program pays between $0.40 to over $6.00 per 1,000 qualified views, representing a 10-150x improvement over the old Creator Fund's $0.02-$0.04 rate.

Most creators report earning between $0.40-$1.00 per 1,000 views as a baseline, with high-performing content reaching $3.00-$6.00 per 1,000 views. Top-tier creators with exceptional engagement and watch time have reported earnings of up to $400-$1,000 per million views, compared to the Creator Fund's maximum of $40 per million views.

Actual earnings depend heavily on content quality, audience retention, engagement rates, and geographic location of viewers. Videos with higher completion rates, longer watch times, and stronger engagement metrics receive significantly higher payouts within the program's algorithm.

The payment structure rewards creators who can maintain viewer attention throughout longer videos, making storytelling, tutorials, and educational content particularly lucrative compared to quick entertainment clips.

What type of content tends to perform best for monetization under TikTok's current policies?

Long-form original content that maximizes watch time and audience retention performs best in the Creator Rewards Program.

Educational tutorials, storytelling videos, behind-the-scenes content, and in-depth explanations consistently generate the highest payouts because they encourage viewers to watch for longer periods. Content that sparks meaningful engagement through comments and shares also receives algorithmic preference in the payment calculation.

TikTok specifically excludes duets, stitches, reposts, and heavily edited compilation videos from monetization eligibility. The platform prioritizes completely original content that demonstrates clear creative effort and provides unique value to viewers.

Successful monetizable content categories include: step-by-step tutorials lasting 2-5 minutes, personal storytelling with clear narrative arcs, educational content that teaches specific skills, behind-the-scenes business or creative processes, and product reviews with detailed analysis and commentary.

How are video views calculated for payouts—are there specific benchmarks to meet?

The Creator Rewards Program only counts "qualified views" for payout calculations, which require viewers to watch for at least 5 seconds and not mark the content as "not interested."

Videos must reach a minimum threshold of 1,000 qualified views to be eligible for any payout from the program. Beyond this baseline, TikTok's algorithm evaluates additional engagement metrics including total watch time, completion rate, comment engagement, and share frequency to determine the final payout amount.

The platform uses sophisticated fraud detection to identify and exclude artificial views, bot traffic, and view manipulation attempts. This means purchased views or engagement pods will not contribute to qualified view counts and may result in account penalties.

Creators report that videos with 80%+ completion rates and strong engagement in the first 24 hours receive significantly higher per-view payouts compared to videos with poor retention metrics, even if total view counts are similar.

Is TikTok prioritizing long-form content now for monetization, and if so, how long should videos be?

TikTok explicitly requires videos to be at least one minute long to qualify for Creator Rewards Program monetization, representing a clear strategic shift toward longer content.

The platform's algorithm specifically rewards videos that maintain high engagement throughout their entire duration, with optimal monetization occurring for videos between 1-3 minutes long. Content longer than 5 minutes can still perform well but requires exceptional storytelling to maintain viewer attention.

This focus on longer content aligns with TikTok's competition against YouTube and Instagram for creator attention, as longer videos provide more opportunities for ad placement and deeper audience engagement.

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Are there regional restrictions—can creators in all countries access TikTok's monetization programs?

The Creator Rewards Program is currently limited to seven countries: United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil.

TikTok has indicated plans to expand to additional regions throughout 2025, but no specific timeline or countries have been officially announced. Creators in non-eligible countries cannot access the Creator Rewards Program regardless of their follower count or engagement metrics.

Other monetization features have varying regional availability: TikTok LIVE gifting is available in most countries where TikTok operates, TikTok Shop is limited to select markets including the US, UK, and several Southeast Asian countries, and brand partnership opportunities exist globally but depend on local advertising markets.

Creators in restricted regions often use alternative monetization strategies including brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, and directing traffic to external platforms for revenue generation.

What other TikTok monetization features are currently available besides the Creator Fund or Creativity Program?

TikTok offers multiple monetization streams beyond the Creator Rewards Program, including LIVE gifting, TikTok Shop, Series, Tips, and brand partnership tools.

Monetization Tool	Requirements	Earning Potential	Best Use Cases
TikTok LIVE Gifting	18+ years old, ability to go live	$50-$500+ per live session	Interactive content, Q&A sessions, tutorials
TikTok Shop	Seller account approval, eligible region	5-20% commission on sales	Product demonstrations, reviews, affiliate content
Series Feature	Account approval, content quality standards	Creator sets pricing, keeps 50-70%	Premium tutorials, courses, exclusive content
Tips Feature	100,000+ followers in eligible regions	Direct fan contributions	High-value content, loyal audience engagement
Brand Partnerships	Creator Marketplace approval	$100-$10,000+ per campaign	Sponsored content, product placements
Affiliate Marketing	No specific TikTok requirements	2-10% commission rates typically	Product recommendations, review content
External Monetization	Strong TikTok following	Varies significantly by strategy	Directing traffic to YouTube, courses, merchandise

What has been the feedback from creators about the new program compared to the original Creator Fund?

Creator feedback on the Creator Rewards Program has been overwhelmingly positive compared to the universally criticized Creator Fund.

Most creators report earning 10-50 times more per view through the new program, with many citing improved transparency in payment calculations and more predictable revenue streams. The focus on longer content has encouraged creators to develop more substantive, engaging material rather than chasing viral moments.

However, creators also note challenges including the significantly higher barrier to entry with 10,000 follower and 100,000 view requirements, the pressure to consistently produce longer content, and the limited geographic availability excluding many international creators.

Despite these challenges, the majority of eligible creators view the transition as positive, with many reporting that TikTok monetization has become a viable income source rather than the minimal supplemental earnings provided by the Creator Fund.

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What steps should a creator take today to start earning money on TikTok in the current system?

Starting TikTok monetization requires building a substantial following before accessing the Creator Rewards Program, followed by strategic content optimization for longer-form videos.

1. **Build your foundation**: Focus on growing to 10,000+ authentic followers through consistent, high-quality content in your niche, posting 1-2 times daily with strategic hashtag usage and engagement optimization.2. **Generate required views**: Aim for 100,000+ authentic video views in 30 days by creating content that encourages shares, saves, and comments, while maintaining strong audience retention rates.3. **Ensure account compliance**: Keep your account in good standing by avoiding guideline violations, responding to community feedback professionally, and maintaining consistent posting schedules.4. **Switch to creator account**: Convert to a creator account to access analytics, creator tools, and monetization features through your profile settings menu.5. **Develop longer content strategy**: Create original videos at least 1 minute long that provide genuine value, tell complete stories, or teach specific skills to maximize watch time and engagement.6. **Apply for Creator Rewards Program**: Submit your application through Profile > Menu > Creator Tools > Creator Rewards Program once you meet all eligibility requirements.7. **Explore additional revenue streams**: Set up TikTok Shop for product sales, start going live for gift income, create Series for premium content, and pursue brand partnerships through the Creator Marketplace.8. **Optimize content performance**: Use TikTok analytics to identify your best-performing content types, optimal posting times, and audience preferences to consistently improve monetization potential.

Conclusion

Sources

1. TikTok Support - Creator Fund US
2. Captions.ai - TikTok Creator Fund Guide
3. Techpoint Africa - TikTok Influencer Earnings 2025
4. Ranatech Digitals - Creativity Program Requirements
5. Metricool - Monetize TikTok Guide
6. BigMotion.ai - TikTok Creativity Program Complete Guide
7. Syllaby - TikTok Monetization Requirements
8. ShortsGenerator.ai - TikTok Creativity Program Payout
9. Influencer Marketing Hub - How Much Does TikTok Pay
10. Descript - How Much Does TikTok Pay

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