YouTube raises the threshold for creators to start monetizing

YouTube is raising the bar for new creators to qualify for monetization, requiring roughly twice as many watch hours or Shorts views as before to enter its earning programs. The change affects creators trying to join the YouTube Partner Program, which is the gateway to ad revenue and other monetization tools, and it matters because it makes it harder for smaller channels to start earning money. According to YouTube’s current monetization rules, creators now need 500 subscribers, three public uploads in the past 90 days, and either 3,000 long-form watch hours in the past 365 days or 3 million Shorts views in the past 90 days for early access, while full ad monetization still requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views.