Elon Musk’s X announces Rs 9 crore prize for 'Top Article': Check rules, eligibility, timeline

X announces a Rs 9 crore contest for creators of top long-form articles. (Image credit: Reuters)

• X offers $1 million payout for top long-form article from US creators
• Entries must be original, 10000+ words, and follow strict content guidelines
• Articles are judged by Verified Home Timeline impressions on X.com.

Did our AI summary help?

Elon Musk-led social media platform X is offering creator incentives, with payouts of up to $1 million, or approximately Rs 9.07 crore, for posting content that drives engagement and breaks news. The announcement came at a time when X and its AI chatbot, Grok, have been facing criticism from regulators over concerns about deepfake content.

“We’re trying something new: we’re giving $1 million to the Top Article of the next payout period. We’re doubling down on what creators on 𝕏 do best: writing. In 2026, our goal is to recognise high-value, high-impact content that shapes conversation, breaks news and moves culture,” post reads on X.

“Creators, writers, journalists, thought leaders: If long-form is your craft, this is your moment to double down on 𝕏. Tell us what you want to see next in 2026,” it added.

We’re trying something new: we’re giving $1 million to the Top Article of the next payout period.

We're doubling down on what creators on 𝕏 do best: writing. In 2026, our goal is to recognize high-value, high-impact content that shapes conversation, breaks news and moves… pic.twitter.com/4hKBJNvNIg — Creators (@XCreators) January 16, 2026

What are the eligibility criteria for the top X articles?

Launched at 2 PM Pacific Time (PT) on 16 January, 2026, the company’s $1 million article competition will end at 11:59 PM PT on 28 January, 2026. The content must adhere to guidelines prohibiting hate, racism, terror, fraudulent or manipulative material.

According to X, the entries must be original and at least 10,000 words long. The content will be evaluated using Verified Home Timeline impressions. The contest is currently limited to US users only, and articles that breach X policies or spread hate will be rejected. This includes sexual content, defamatory of X, misleading information and plagiarism.

X added that articles generated largely by automated tools, Artificial intelligence, or third-party may disqualify. While articles cannot be edited once submitted, the entrants are permitted to submit multiple articles within the contest window.

“Submissions generated or substantially assisted by automated tools, artificial intelligence, or third parties may be disqualified unless expressly permitted by X,” the platform said.

How to participate?

According to X, users must publish articles directly on X.com. The platform has recently rolled out its articles feature to all premium users.