Instagram courts TikTok creators with cash bonuses up to $50,000

TikTok is not only battling for survival this week but also facing fierce competition from rivals eager to poach its top influencers. Among them is Meta’s Instagram, reportedly offering cash bonuses to lure big TikTok creators to its platform, Reels.

According to a report from The Information, Instagram has been actively courting creators with followings in the millions, particularly those who launched their careers on TikTok. On offer are monthly cash incentives ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 if they prioritize posting to Reels.

The deal includes an exclusivity period requiring creators to share their videos on Instagram first, anywhere from one month to several months before distributing them on other platforms.

Meta’s executives are clearly banking on this strategy to inject Instagram with a surge of exclusive content from some of TikTok’s biggest stars, enticing their followers to migrate alongside them. While Instagram hasn’t explicitly named TikTok in its efforts, the timing is a little too convenient.

With speculation swirling about whether President Trump will find a way to preserve TikTok for its 170 million U.S. users, the platform’s future currently hangs in the balance. For many creators who rely on TikTok for their livelihoods, this uncertainty has already prompted many to go in search of a new home—something Instagram is eager to provide.

Turns out, it’s not just the big hitters they are after. Meta is also looking to attract smaller content creators through their newly launched “Breakthrough Bonus Program“. Creators accepted into the program will receive up to $5,000 payouts during their first 90 days on the app, provided they meet strict posting requirements.

Participants must upload at least 20 Reels on Facebook and 10 Reels on Instagram each month, on at least 10 separate dates. Crucially, the content must be original—previously shared videos from other platforms won’t qualify.

This program isn’t open to everyone. The cash incentives are exclusively for creators who are entirely new to Facebook or Instagram. Even then, joining isn’t guaranteed. Meta reviews applications and selects participants on a case-by-case basis.

Meta’s latest moves also signal a further push to capture ByteDance’s user base. On Sunday, Meta unveiled Edits, a video editing app strikingly similar to ByteDance’s CapCut. Conveniently, Edits launched the same day ByteDance’s app went offline due to the ban, filling a gap left behind. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.