Twitch is letting more streamers access its monetization tools | TechCrunch

Twitch CEO Dan Clancy published an open letter on Thursday outlining the platform’s plans for 2025, which include upcoming features, updates to the mobile experience, as well as a significant change to its monetization policy.  

Of note, Clancy revealed that Twitch is opening up subscriptions and “Bits,” the virtual items that viewers buy to cheer on streamers, to “most” creators, regardless of how many followers they have. 

The change aims to democratize the monetization process on Twitch, enabling a wider range of creators to earn as they engage their audiences. Previously, only Twitch affiliates and partners had access to subscriptions and Bits and had to meet specific criteria to qualify. This included having at least 50 followers, maintaining an average of three concurrent viewers per stream, and achieving at least eight hours of accumulated streaming time per week. 

The company is also introducing a new option that “will allow all streamers to use their earnings on purchases within Twitch,” Clancy added but didn’t provide specific details.

In addition to this significant shift in monetization policy, Clancy detailed further initiatives for Twitch in 2025. One of these involves creating an additional opportunity for streamers to generate revenue while collaborating. 

The new feature, called “Shared Hype Trains,” allows streamers participating in Stream Together or Shared Chat to come together in a Hype Train, which is where members can rally to support their favorite streamers. Creators will also be able to begin and manage Shared Chat sessions directly from the mobile app.

Another way in which Twitch plans to enhance revenue opportunities for streamers is by introducing an easier way for creators to express interest in collaborating with brands. Plus, the platform is launching a new tool to help brands discover new channels to partner with. 

The company also plans to broaden its promotional offerings and explore options that allow streamers to provide discounts and promotions during special events.

Regarding the mobile viewing experience, Twitch will soon offer both landscape and vertical video options. The company is also introducing a new feature that enables viewers to react to specific moments in a stream using Bits.

Additionally, the ability to create custom Power-ups is on the way. Power-ups are effects that can be used during streams, such as adding a colorful border around a message or sending a larger version of an emote.

The company is also introducing updates to Clips, aiming to make the editing process smoother and to provide a new feature for highlighting moments in real time. There will also be more automated methods to identify the best moments in a stream.

These updates follow Twitch’s recent announcement about a major change to its content storage policy. Beginning on April 19, the platform will impose a cap of 100 hours on the storage of highlights and uploaded content, restricting how much content users can maintain on their channels.