New updates to Creator Reward Program - Good or Bad?

At the beginning of December, TikTok rolled out a new update to the Creator Reward Program. Overall, many people consider this update to be positive, especially due to RPM increases in certain niches.
However, not every channel is benefiting from these changes. In reality, some channels have been hit quite hard, particularly those with a global audience.
Below are the three biggest changes to the CRP, along with an analysis of who benefits and who may struggle, so everyone can decide whether this update is good or bad for their own channel.

1. Combined RPM display (standard + additional)
This change is mostly related to how data is displayed.
Before: Standard rewards and additional rewards were shown separately
After the update: RPM now displays both combined

This does not directly increase or decrease earnings. It simply makes the dashboard easier to read. Many people see a higher RPM, but that’s mainly because additional rewards are now included
=> This change is not a deciding factor, it’s mostly a UI improvement.

2. Search views now count as qualified views (≥30s)
This is a major and genuinely beneficial change.
Before the update:

• Only views from the For You Page were paid
• Views from search or profile visits were not monetized

After the update: Search views are now counted as qualified views
Condition: the viewer must watch for at least 30 seconds
This benefits: Educational, how-to, explainer, quiz-style content
Longer videos with strong search intent => higher RPM. Some niches have seen RPM jump from $0.2-$0.3 to $0.8-$1+

=> Anyone relying heavily on search traffic will benefit from this change.

3. Only views from eligible countries count (BIGGEST ISSUE)
This is the most controversial change and the one causing the biggest negative impact for many creators.
Currently, only views from countries such as:

• US, UK
• Germany, France
• Japan, South Korea
• Brazil, Mexico,...

are counted as qualified views.

Views from non-eligible countries => No longer generate earnings

4. Who is benefiting from this update?
Channels clearly benefiting include:

• Targeting US / UK / EU audiences
• Niches such as: Finance, Law / court cases, Education, Commentary / explainer content
• High percentage of views from search
• Organic accounts with real engagement

Common traits:

• Qualified views don’t drop much
• RPM increases significantly
• Total earnings remain stable or increase

5. Who is struggling? (or heavily impacted)
Global-audience channels, especially smaller niches with international reach.

Example:

Before the update: 100k views + additional rewards = $100-$120
After the update: Same 100k views = ~$5
Reason:

• Most views come from non-eligible countries
• Qualified views are almost completely wiped out

Other affected cases:

• Entertainment, meme, globally viral niches
• Content not targeting a specific country
• Purchased accounts or accounts with inactive followers

In these cases:
RPM may appear higher
But there are no longer enough eligible views to earn
=> Income drops of 70-95% are common.

So what do you think about this update? Has anyone noticed changes to their RPM on the dashboard yet? And has your RPM or total earnings gone down after the update?

TikTok’s update is good for local-focused creators but really hurts channels with international viewers.

The update mainly helps channels with a focused audience in eligible countries and strong search traffic.
Global or entertainment, accounts are taking a hit. RPM looks higher but if most views arent from eligible countries, earnings drop a lot.

Two channels with the same views can now have completely different outcomes depending on where those views come from. It feels less about raw virality and more about intentional positioning, which is a big shift from how CRP worked before.

The feedback on the December 2025 Creator Reward Program (CRP) updates is deeply divided, and whether it's "good or bad" depends entirely on your content strategy and target audience. For most "original" creators, it's a double-edged sword:

The Bad (The "RPM Tank"): Since the December 4th update, many creators have reported a massive drop in earnings. The most controversial change is that TikTok now primarily pays for views from Reward Program countries. If your content goes viral in "Other" regions (outside the US, UK, Germany, etc.), your RPM for those views can drop to nearly $0.00, even with high engagement.

The Good (The "Additional Reward"): TikTok introduced a new "Additional Reward" layer for videos that are exceptionally high-quality (1080p+, original, and niche-specific). For those who hit this metric, RPMs can stay between $0.40 and $1.00, making long-form, high-retention content (1 min+) much more profitable than the old Creator Fund ever was.