Elon Musk-owned X will allow crypto-related promotional content under an updated paid partnership policy.
Summary
- X has lifted its ban on paid crypto promotions, allowing influencers to publish sponsored content under a revised paid partnership framework.
- The update excludes jurisdictions such as the European Union, the United Kingdom and Australia.
According to X’s updated paid partnership policy, influencers will be allowed to publish promotional content related to cryptocurrencies, as long as it is in compliance with the platform’s disclosure rules and all applicable advertising and financial promotion laws.
However, the feature will not be available in regions where local regulations impose stricter requirements on crypto-related promotions, such as the European Union, the United Kingdom and Australia.
For instance, the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority has cracked down on crypto advertisements that downplay risks, recently banning a Coinbase ad campaign. Australian regulators have also taken a similar stance and have previously sued Meta over misleading crypto ads.
X first imposed restrictions on crypto advertising back in 2018, just weeks after similar crackdowns were introduced by other tech giants like Google and Meta, which was still operating as Facebook at the time.
Under the X branding, the social network in June 2024 moved the entire Financial Products category into Prohibited status for paid promotions and influencer partnerships as a means to combat undisclosed crypto endorsements and aggressive shilling by influencers who were not revealing their paid deals.
Commenting about the latest update, X’s head of product Nikita Bier said the feature will help creators build and grow their businesses on the platform while, at the same time, remaining transparent to their follower base.
Over the past months, X has announced plans to launch new products, including X Money and X TV, as part of Musk’s vision of an “everything app” that combines social networking, media, and financial services under one platform.
Last year, X partnered with Visa to enable digital transactions directly within the platform. Rumors have suggested that X Money could also include cryptocurrencies, but these claims have not been officially confirmed by the company.
However, X has confirmed plans for “Smart Cashtags,” a feature that will allow users to see real-time price charts and access buy and sell buttons for major assets, including cryptocurrencies, directly from their timelines.
