X Explores Stablecoin Payouts Amid Creator Compensation Shift

Elon Musk's X is exploring the use of stablecoins like USDC to pay influencers and content providers, according to reports. The move comes as the platform changes its compensation strategy for creators, phasing out its existing Revenue Sharing program in favor of a new Original Content Rewards Program.

X isn't alone in this exploration; peers like Meta have already begun paying select creators in USDC on Solana and Polygon. This revival of stablecoin usage follows the collapse of Meta's Libra/Diem project, which aimed to create a digital currency for cross-border payments.

The use of stablecoins could help X streamline creator payouts across different countries by enabling faster and potentially cheaper cross-border payments. In fact, SpaceX has already leveraged stablecoins to sidestep foreign exchange headaches tied to Starlink payments abroad, as revealed by venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya in December 2024.