Twitch is making significant changes to its monetization policies in 2025, aiming to empower more streamers. In an open letter released on February 27, CEO Dan Clancy announced that Twitch will open up monetization tools — specifically subscriptions and bits — to most streamers from day one. This move allows creators, regardless of their status, to grow their communities and start building earnings through direct patronage.

Previous monetization structure

Traditionally, Twitch required streamers to achieve Affiliate or Partner status to access monetization features:

  • Affiliate status: Streamers needed to meet milestones such as 50 followers and a certain number of streaming hours to unlock monetization options like subscriptions and bits.

  • Partner status: Reserved for streamers with a larger following and higher concurrent viewership, granting access to additional monetization tools and benefits.

These requirements often posed challenges for new or smaller creators aiming to monetize their content.

New monetization opportunities

With the upcoming changes, Twitch is removing these barriers. This allows most creators to start earning revenue much earlier. This initiative reflects Twitch’s commitment to supporting streamers of all sizes by providing them with the tools needed to grow their communities and income streams.

Integration with StreamElements

In addition to expanding access to subscriptions and bits, Twitch has partnered with StreamElements to bring performance-based sponsorships directly to streamer dashboards. This collaboration introduces influencers to marquee brands by placing sponsorship opportunities in a new tab on the streamer dashboard.

Campaigns offered to streamers through the dashboard integration will include pitches for gaming brands like Candy Crush Saga and the Twitch favorite Honkai: Star Rail. Payouts will come in the form of a base rate plus performance-based incentives on top.

As Twitch implements these changes throughout 2025, creators and viewers alike can anticipate a more inclusive and supportive environment that encourages content creation and community engagement.