TikTok Creator Fund to be discontinued as focus shifts to longer videos

TikTok is shutting down an internal revenue stream that paid creators directly for videos with high engagement to focus on a new fund that rewards creators who post longer videos.

The Creator Fund will be discontinued in the United States on Dec. 16, a spokesperson for the social media platform announced Monday. The fund was introduced in 2020 to help those at least 18 years of age with 10,000 or more followers make money from their videos on the platform. The payout was determined by a formula that considered video engagement, total views and other undisclosed factors.

The shift from Creator Fund comes as no surprise, said Chris Russo, CEO of New York City-based marketing agency Russo Strategic Partners who represents Long Island-based TikTok creators and brands.

"Many creators were unhappy with the Creator Fund," Russo said, citing low pay. "For a lot of creators, the Creator Fund was sort of spare change they forgot about." 

The platform is shifting focus to a new payout portal, the Creativity Program, which launched in beta earlier this year. Payment is now provided for those who post videos longer than one minute.

Focusing on longer videos helps TikTok remain competitive as social platforms like Instagram roll out short-form video, Russo said.

This shift is a move to "apply resources elsewhere to best support creators and explore new offerings,” a TikTok spokesperson said, adding that the platform has seen a 15% growth in creators monetizing on the platform in the past year.