The affiliate gate comes down

Twitch made its biggest creator-economy change in years in 2026. On May 13, the platform launched Monetization for All, giving every streamer access to Bits, subscriptions, emotes, badges, and Channel Points from day one. Previously those tools were locked behind Affiliate or Partner status, forcing new creators to grind toward eligibility before they could earn anything.

The US rollout began that week, with global expansion planned through 2026. It is a clear signal that Twitch wants to hook creators on monetization immediately rather than making them wait.

The important caveats

Open access does not mean instant payouts. Several conditions still apply:

Streamers must still earn Affiliate or Partner status to actually receive a payout, subject to a $50 minimum threshold.
A new Spendable Balance feature lets new streamers spend earned balance on Bits and gift subs before they hit the payout minimum.
Effective in early June 2026, Twitch also slashed Affiliate requirements, cutting streaming hours from 8 to 4, broadcast days from 7 to 4, and required followers from 50 to 25, plus a minimum of three average concurrent viewers across four days.

A response to Kick

The move is widely read as a defensive play against Kick, whose creator-friendly revenue economics have been luring streamers away. By opening monetization and lowering the Affiliate bar, Twitch reduces the friction that once made rivals attractive to newcomers. Notably, the platform did not disclose any changes to its revenue split, which remains the crux of the competitive fight.

For up-and-coming creators, the practical impact is real. A brand-new streamer can now build a subscriber base and earn Channel Points engagement from their very first broadcasts, turning monetization from a distant milestone into a day-one feature. The Spendable Balance mechanic even lets small channels participate in the Bits economy before they qualify for cash-out.

Whether it stems Kick's momentum depends on that undisclosed split. But as a play to keep new talent inside the ecosystem from the start, Monetization for All is Twitch's most aggressive creator-retention move in a long time.