X Allows Crypto Promotions Under Paid Policy

X will again permit paid cryptocurrency promotions, reversing a 2024 prohibition that placed financial products in a restricted category. The shift reopens a major distribution channel for token projects and exchanges seeking retail visibility.

Under the platform’s updated paid partnership policy, creators may publish crypto-related promotional content if they comply with disclosure requirements and applicable advertising and financial promotion laws. The feature will not be available in jurisdictions with stricter regimes, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Those markets have tightened oversight of retail-facing crypto marketing in recent years.

Will X Avoid Another Crypto Ad Backlash?

The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority recently banned a Coinbase campaign for downplaying risk, while Australian regulators have previously sued Meta over misleading crypto advertisements. X first restricted crypto ads in 2018, aligning with crackdowns by Google and Meta, then operating as Facebook. In June 2024, X moved financial products into a prohibited category to curb undisclosed influencer endorsements.

Commenting on the update, X head of product Nikita Bier said the paid partnership feature will help creators grow their businesses while remaining transparent with followers. The policy reframes crypto promotions as permissible advertising, provided disclosures are clear and local compliance standards are met. That approach shifts enforcement risk toward creators and advertisers rather than the platform itself.

The policy change arrives as X expands financial functionality. The company partnered with Visa last year to enable digital transactions and has outlined plans for X Money and X TV under Elon Musk’s “everything app” strategy. X also confirmed development of “Smart Cashtags,” which will display real-time price charts and embedded buy and sell buttons for major assets, including cryptocurrencies.

Still, the success of the revised policy may hinge on whether regulators view enhanced disclosure tools as sufficient investor protection. Market participants will monitor rollout details and any enforcement responses in restricted regions as X integrates trading features directly into user timelines.