"The creator economy loves to talk about how it transcends borders. In reality, many talents are heavily handicapped by their geography. Global estimates put the creator economy at around $200 billion in 2024, with forecasts pushing it toward the mark over the next decade. However the countries that capture most of that value are the same ones that already dominate. The result is a slow, quiet talent drain of smaller markets into a handful of global hotspots."
"TikTok's monetization rollout makes the gap obvious. As of 2025, its Creator Rewards Program exists in eight countries only: the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Mexico. Meanwhile, TikTok earned $679 million in Australia in 2024, driven by monthly users, yet offers creators in that market none of that revenue. The same imbalance appears across countless other countries where TikTok generates serious economic value without paying creators a cent."
Creators increasingly leave smaller markets for global hubs like Los Angeles and New York to access better monetization and platform support. Geography limits many creators through fewer brands, briefs, smaller budgets and no platform payouts, forcing earlier diversification and aggressive cross-posting to build international audiences. Global estimates value the creator economy at around $200 billion in 2024, with the largest share captured by already-dominant countries. Platform monetization rollouts remain limited to a handful of nations, creating economic imbalances where platforms extract significant value from markets without extending creator payouts.
Read at Forbes
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