YouTube Shorts has overtaken TikTok in daily views, according to CEO Neal Mohan speaking at 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The platform now averages over 200 billion daily views, doubling TikTok’s most recent public figure of 100 billion.
YouTube’s ongoing Shorts strategy
The 200 billion daily views stat reflects how aggressively YouTube has scaled Shorts over the past year. Much of that growth is driven by repurposed TikTok content, YouTube’s strong recommendation engine and the push toward short-form on mobile. For creators, Shorts is a powerful discovery tool. It is easier to go viral on Shorts than on traditional YouTube videos, and the design of the platform makes it simple to convert Shorts viewers into long-form subscribers.
Creators are still skeptical about revenue
Even with massive views, YouTube Shorts still raises questions around monetization. The platform introduced ad revenue sharing for Shorts in 2023, but many creators claim the payouts are low compared to those for long-form videos. CPMs (cost per mille) on Shorts are often a fraction of what creators earn on standard uploads.
The good news is that YouTube says it is experimenting with additional monetization features. These include affiliate product tagging, Super Thanks and deeper integration with long-form content. The goal appears to be keeping creators invested in Shorts in the long term.
More opportunities for creators
If you are already creating short-form content, it makes sense to prioritize YouTube Shorts alongside TikTok and Reels. YouTube’s scale provides creators with access to a broader audience, particularly those who are already subscribed to long-form channels.
However, monetization still has not caught up. If revenue is your primary focus, long-form or sponsored content may still be a more reliable option. Shorts can bring attention, but they are currently more of a top-of-funnel play than a standalone income stream.