YouTube recently announced that it’s bringing big changes to its monetization structure, which will now come with higher entry thresholds for new creators, in addition to changes to Shorts revenue rules. That said, YouTube is raising the barrier to entry for incoming creators who want to apply for ad and Premium revenue sharing via the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). YouTube also announced changes to monetization rules for YouTube Shorts—starting on February 1, 2027, creators must maintain at least 10 million qualified Shorts views over a 90-day window to remain eligible for direct Shorts ad and subscription revenue sharing. YouTube noted that top-earning Shorts creators will see little impact, while smaller channels will be transitioned toward new milestone-based incentive programs, including YouTube Shopping bonuses, brand deal perks, and trend-building payouts. Finally, the YouTube Premium Lite tier will be available for every country where YouTube Premium is available, which comes with background play, offline downloads, and mostly ad-free viewing to more audiences.