Stablecoins Hit the Creator Economy: X Tipped to Pay Royalties in USDC 💸

Elon Musk's X is in discussions to use stablecoins, including Circle Internet Group's USDC ($CRCL at $83.78), to pay royalties to influential users for content uploaded to the platform, according to a person familiar with the plans. The source, who also works with other social media platforms testing stablecoins for influencer commissions, said conversations with X are ongoing. Media representatives for X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The move aligns with X's broader overhaul of creator monetization. The company recently announced it is phasing out its long-running Revenue Sharing program in favor of the Original Content Rewards Program, designed to "reward creators who bring original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity, and commentary to X."

Stablecoins have become a staple of blockchain-based payments, with a collective market capitalization exceeding $300 billion. They are used to facilitate faster and cheaper cross-border transactions for small businesses and multinationals alike. Musk's SpaceX already accepts stablecoins for cross-border payments from Starlink customers in emerging markets. In March, Musk hired crypto veteran Benji Taylor, former head of design at Coinbase Global's ($COIN at $171.85) Base blockchain network, to lead design at X, a role tied to both xAI and SpaceX. Taylor brings experience in wallets and decentralized finance.

X has not confirmed any specific stablecoin integration, and details of the payment structure, supported tokens beyond USDC, or launch timeline remain undisclosed.