March 15, 2026 · Updated Apr 5 · 7 min read
TikTok, the FTC, and the new creator-fund landscape
The Creator Fund is gone. The Creator Rewards Program is strict. The FTC is watching. Here is what 2026 actually looks like for TikTok creators.
By Elena Marchetti
TL;DR
TikTok quietly sunsetted the original Creator Fund in late 2025. The Creator Rewards Program replaced it, but only videos over 60 seconds are eligible, and the RPM is lower than most expect. FTC disclosure rules also tightened. Here is the honest read.
If you are a TikTok creator still waiting for your Creator Fund payout, we have bad news. It is not coming back. The original program was sunsetted in late 2025 and replaced by the Creator Rewards Program — which has substantially different rules.
What the Creator Rewards Program actually pays
The RPM (revenue per mille — revenue per thousand qualified views) in the Creator Rewards Program ranges from $0.40 to $1.20 depending on geography, niche, and retention. That is roughly 2x to 4x what the old Creator Fund paid per view, but with a much narrower eligibility window:
- Videos must be at least 60 seconds long.
- Only views in monetizable geographies count (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, Korea).
- Views from accounts under 18 do not count toward RPM.
- Views from the For You feed count; views from profile or search generally do not.
- Videos must adhere to stricter originality rules — duets, stitches, and any content using copyrighted music are excluded.
The FTC piece
In February 2026, the FTC issued updated Endorsement Guides that specifically name short-form video platforms. The rule is stricter than most creators realize: any post that promotes a product or service in exchange for something of value — money, product, commission, affiliate link, agency retainer — must carry a clear disclosure in the first three seconds of the video, not just in the caption.
The #ad tag in the description no longer satisfies the standard. A voiced or on-screen “this is an ad” in the opening frame does. The FTC has started sending warning letters — no fines yet, but the writing is on the wall.
Why paid reach and FTC compliance work together
A common misunderstanding: creators think paid reach (buying views, followers, likes) requires disclosure under the FTC rules. It does not. Paid reach is promotion of your own content, not promotion of a third-party product. The FTC rule applies when you are promoting someone else’s product and being compensated for the promotion.
Where creators get into trouble: buying followers and then using that inflated follower count to land brand deals without disclosing that a portion of the audience was paid. That is a material misrepresentation to the brand and can void the contract. A simple fix: when you pitch a brand, share screenshots of your analytics (engagement, save rate, reply rate), not your follower count.
Three moves for 2026
- Cut your videos to exactly 61 to 90 seconds to qualify for Creator Rewards without losing retention.
- Front-load FTC disclosures in the first three seconds of any sponsored video. On-screen text plus voiced disclosure.
- When buying growth, ask for active followers who engage — those lift your brand-deal analytics, which is what pitches are built on, not raw counts.
The era of “vanity follower counts closing brand deals” is over. Analytics close deals now.
The honest read
TikTok is still the best platform for organic reach in 2026. But the path from reach to revenue is narrower than it was two years ago. If you are serious about monetization, treat every piece of content as a case study for your next brand pitch, not as a shot at a viral lottery ticket.