Musk’s X offers $1 million for greatest long-form piece
Writing on X may soon be accompanied by a seven-figure incentive. X has announced a $1 million prize for the best-performing long-form article published on the platform during its next payout cycle, marking one of the largest creator rewards ever offered by a social media company. The announcement was made on Saturday by X’s Creators account, which stated that the “top article” of the upcoming payout period would receive the $1 million award. In response to the post, X owner Elon Musk stated: “$1M prize for the top X article.”
The official rules published by X on its legal platform state that the contest will take place from January 16 to January 28, 2026, and is exclusively available to “legal residents” of the United States and Washington, DC, who are at least 18 years of age. Individuals employed by X and their close relatives are not eligible. Participants are required to subscribe to either Premium or Premium+ and must publish an original article on X within the contest timeframe. Multiple entries are permitted; however, each article must adhere to the platform’s eligibility criteria.
An article must meet the following criteria: it should be a minimum of 1,000 words, composed in English, and not published in any other venue. X asserts that submissions created or significantly aided by automated tools or artificial intelligence could be disqualified unless expressly allowed. The guidelines strictly forbid political or religious commentary, explicit or offensive content, commercial advertising, mentions of non-X brands, or any instance of plagiarism. Articles should refrain from promoting unsafe activities, illegal drugs, hate speech, or disseminating misleading information. X further notes that submissions must be the entrant’s sole original work and must align with the platform’s content standards. X has characterized the competition as skill-based rather than a game of chance. The article that emerges victorious will be chosen based on adherence to submission guidelines, grammar, spelling, and technical quality, uniqueness and genuineness, and engagement on the platform, encompassing verified home-timeline impressions. The relative weight of each criterion will be established by X beforehand, and the company’s decision will be conclusive.
The contest features a singular grand prize of $1 million, which is non-transferable and cannot be assigned to any other party. The winner will obtain the payout via a third-party payment processor and is required to undergo identity and tax verification checks, bearing responsibility for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes. X retains the authority to disqualify winners who do not pass background checks or fail to submit required documentation within the designated timeframes. By entering, participants grant X irrevocable rights to use, reproduce, and distribute their articles and related personal identifiers globally and in perpetuity, without additional compensation. The regulations further encompass a binding arbitration clause, a class-action waiver, and a one-year limitation period for disputes. X has emphasized that the contest is solely for entertainment purposes and must not be utilized for gambling.
