YouTube will require twice as many watch hours for creators to earn money

YouTube is doubling the Partner Program requirements: creators will need twice as many accumulated watch hours to start earning money from their videos.

A higher threshold

Until now, creators had to accumulate a minimum number of public watch hours over the past 12 months to enter the monetization program. With the change, that requirement doubles, as the platform moves to prioritize channels with more consolidated audiences.

The measure mainly affects small and mid-size creators, who will see the entry point to advertising, membership and short-form fund income move further away.

YouTube’s strategy

The platform has been gradually tightening monetization conditions while redirecting more resources to established channels and formats like Shorts. The company argues the change raises the quality of the ecosystem and reduces the incentive for automated filler channels.

Why it matters

For Spanish-speaking creators, many of them in the Dominican Republic and the region, the new threshold means rethinking strategy: diversifying formats, working on audience retention and building a community before relying on advertising income.