YouTube is doubling the requirements for creators who want to start earning money on the platform. According to TechCrunch, new applicants to the YouTube Partner Program will need at least 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year — twice the previous 4,000-hour threshold — or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the past 90 days, up from 10 million.
The stricter bar affects channels seeking monetization for the first time, making the climb to a first payout steeper for smaller and newer creators. Existing partners are unaffected.
The move adds to a turbulent stretch for creator economics: platforms have been reworking payout tiers, thresholds and incentive programs this year, and many small channels now face a longer runway before they earn their first dollar.
