Instagram to Honor Top Creators With Gold Rings — But No Cash Prize
Menlo Park, Calif. — Instagram has unveiled a new “Rings” award program that will recognize 25 standout creators with a literal gold ring and a matching badge on their profile — but no financial compensation.
The award, announced Monday, comes at a time when Meta’s flagship platform has ended most of its direct payout programs, sparking debate about how the company values the creator community that fuels its content ecosystem.
From Cash Bonuses to Symbolic Rings
Each of the 25 winners will receive a physical gold ring and a special digital version displayed prominently on their Instagram profile. Winners will also be able to customize their profile backdrop and tweak the “like” button — exclusive cosmetic features tied to the award.
A panel of high-profile judges — including Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, filmmaker Spike Lee, fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) — will select the recipients.
“It’s more about a special visibility and sort of incentive for people to work towards a really cool elevated recognition,” said Brownlee in an interview with CNBC.
He added that he focused on nominating creators who took risks and showed craftsmanship, not necessarily those with the largest audiences.
Meta’s Cash Payouts Have Dried Up
The new program follows Meta’s decision to terminate its Reels Play Bonus in 2023 — a move that once offered thousands of creators monthly payouts for short-form video performance.
For many small creators, the discontinuation came as a blow.
“As stupid as it sounds, in this economy it was a blessing for my household to have the extra money coming in,” one user wrote on Reddit after the shutdown.
Since then, Instagram has not introduced any major replacement program for direct creator payments. Mosseri hinted in mid-2024 that new forms of creator compensation were being explored, but no formal initiative has launched.
In contrast, YouTube and TikTok have continued to reward creators through revenue-sharing programs. YouTube reported over $100 billion in payouts over the past four years.
The Creator Economy’s Tougher Reality
According to creator platform Kajabi, brand deals across the influencer industry dropped 52% in 2024, putting more financial pressure on independent content makers.
Earlier this year, Meta had been offering creators short-term deals to promote Instagram across rival platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, but those arrangements have now ended.
Against that backdrop, Instagram’s gold ring award is being seen as more symbolic than substantial — an attempt to boost morale and prestige without the cost of cash incentives.
“This could be looked at as an incentive to make more Instagram stuff, or really just an incentive to make the best possible thing you can and hopefully get recognized for it,” Brownlee said. “It feels good to know your work is resonating with people.”
