Deconstructing X New Algorithm: 2026 Ultimate Guide to Content Mining

X (formerly Twitter) is undergoing an unprecedented reshaping of its content ecosystem. If you've recently felt that the recommendation logic of the Timeline has changed, it's not just your imagination.

Musk is reshaping the flow of traffic with real money, and Twitter salaries are rising. The platform has launched a shocking "Million Dollar Article Reward Program" aimed at rewarding creators who can produce in-depth content that resonates across the internet. Shortly after the program was announced, the first article on the platform surpassed 160 million views.

What does this mean? It means that Twitter is trying to transform the past "short, quick, emotional" information square into a "deep, high-value" content platform through a dual drive of algorithms and incentives. For CT (Crypto Twitter) creators, the old era of "inflated traffic" is becoming ineffective, while the new "cognitive dividend" has just begun.

To help you seize the opportunity in this new round of traffic reshuffling, Biteye will deeply analyze the revenue composition of CT, uncover the traffic secrets behind the x-algorithm open-source code, and present a "Content Transformation Practical Handbook" tailored for 2026.

1. Let's not talk about creation yet: How does CT make money?

Before we discuss "how to write," we must first see "where the money is." Aside from the official revenue sharing from X, the real gold mine for CT is actually buried deep underwater:

1. Official Creator Incentives: The most transparent, but with the lowest ceiling

Blue check + views are the most basic source of income.

However, after frequent algorithm updates, traffic generated by spamming replies and riding trends has seriously depreciated. According to Biteye's statistics, most creators in the Chinese-speaking region typically see their monthly official revenue share stay in the range of a few hundred to 2000 USD.

This is a "base salary," not a main income.

2. Commission Economy: The most lucrative cash flow underwater in CT

This is the most secretive and profitable track in CT. From exchange referral links to on-chain tool invitation codes, to various quantitative trading bots. A high-quality viral tutorial post can generate continuous commissions from its long-tail traffic, often equivalent to a regular worker's annual salary.

3. Project Promotion / KOL Rounds: Only recognize real influence

Commonly known as "taking business orders." Web3 project teams always need KOL endorsements, but now they are becoming increasingly savvy. They no longer just focus on inflated follower counts but require @xhunt_ai rankings to be above a certain level. Only vertical KOLs that can withstand data scrutiny have pricing power.

For a detailed introduction to KOL rounds, refer to Biteye's tweet "Unveiling KOL Rounds: A Wealth Experiment Wrapped in Traffic."

🔗https://x.com/BiteyeCN/status/1986748741592711374

4. Knowledge Payment / Private Domain Traffic: Charging Stations for High-Net-Worth Creators

Cleaning and directing public domain traffic into private domains (paid groups, newsletters, research report subscriptions). Currently, the annual fees for mainstream Alpha Groups in the Chinese-speaking region generally range from a few hundred USD, with core VIP memberships having no upper limit and very high repurchase rates.

5. Token Alpha (Self-Operated Trading): The highest ceiling, but also the most brutal

This is monetization through cognition. Utilizing information asymmetry to discover early Alpha projects and trading them oneself. This is the income source with the highest ceiling but also the most unstable. In this track, some people can lose everything overnight, while others can make a leap across social classes.

2. Three Evolutions of the Algorithm: From "Rules" to "Semantics"

X just open-sourced the latest recommendation algorithm xai-org/x-algorithm yesterday. This is not just a code update but a paradigm shift in traffic allocation logic. For creators, understanding the iteration of traffic logic is a prerequisite for making money:

1. Before 2023: Tag Matching Era

Logic: Based on rules (SimClusters).
Play: As long as you include the #$BTC #Airdrop tags, the algorithm mechanically pushes it to interested users. "Riding tags" was the optimal solution at that time.

2. 2024-2025: Weight Layering Era

Logic: Increase weight based on content type.
Play: "Blue check" and "native video" weights skyrocketed, while external links were downgraded. It's nearly impossible to succeed without a membership, and posting videos is easier to go viral than posting text.

3. After 2026: Semantic Intelligence Era (Grok-based)

Logic: Completely abolish manual features, with Grok's large model performing semantic understanding and predicting user behavior.
Core of the dual-stream architecture:

Thunder System (Familiar Circle): Handles follower traffic. Red line: Author Diversity. Rapid-fire posting will be deemed noise and directly folded. Posting rhythm must prioritize "quality over quantity."
Phoenix System (Stranger Circle): Handles "For You" traffic. Red line: Vector Search. The algorithm no longer looks at tags but calculates the "semantic vector" of your content. Even without tags, as long as the content logic matches user intent, it can be accurately delivered. The current algorithm only recognizes "content depth," not "keywords."

3. Interaction is no longer equal: What does the algorithm truly value?

The new algorithm no longer simply counts how many likes you have. It predicts the probability P(Action) of user behavior, with the weight logic as follows:

P(dwell) Dwell time (highest weight): Did the user stop to read your long article? This is worth more than just a quick like.
P(photo_expand) Image expansion: Did the user click on your accompanying image? This is a strong signal of interest.
P(reply) Deep replies: Sparking discussions is favored by the algorithm more than simple retweets.
P(not_interested) Negative feedback (fatal): Clickbait titles that deceive clicks, leading users to quickly scroll away, will cause a cliff-like drop in weight.

Appendix: X Open Source Algorithm Iteration Comparison Chart

4. Money-Making Strategy: How to Write Most Profitably in 2026?

Combining the new algorithm weights, future content operations should follow the SOP below:

Golden Theme: High Information Density + Logical Deduction

The Grok model prefers content that is logical and contextual.

Abandon: Meaningless shouts (e.g., "$BTC to the moon 🚀"), such content will be classified as low-quality noise.
Embrace: In-depth research reports, data analysis, retrospective deductions.
Money-making point: This type of content has a very high P(dwell) and is easy to embed tool-based Affiliate links (e.g., "I discovered this Alpha project using XHunt's real-time hot topics…").

Format Dividend: Long Articles + Visualization

Since the official is promoting "Million Dollar Articles," and the algorithm values dwell time:

Preferred formats: Articles (long-form) or Threads (long tweet series).
Essential elements: High-quality data charts.
Utilize the algorithm's P(photo_expand) mechanism to create various Ecosystem Maps or data comparison charts that "cannot be seen clearly without clicking to view the large image," which can attract significant traffic weighting.

Appendix: Official High-Scoring Assignment Template — Four Iron Rules of Article Writing

Title Determines Life and Death: Reject paternalistic teaching. Use counterintuitive viewpoints + specific numbers instead of mundane statements (e.g., "Why 95% of advice is nonsense"), paired with an eye-catching cover image.
Scannable Layout: Mobile-friendly. Paragraphs no longer than 3 lines, use lists and bold text to let users grasp the key points within three seconds.
Speak Human: Chat like a friend rather than lecturing. After writing, ruthlessly cut 30% of the fluff to maintain a conversational feel.
Traffic Acquisition: After publishing the article, break down the essence into a Thread (long tweet series) to drive traffic back to the original article, and pin the article on your personal homepage for 72 hours to fully capitalize on traffic.

Operation Model: Personalized Elimination Matrix

Old Model: Matrix Accounts (Industrialized Volume Stacking)
Creating 100 accounts to post junk tweets, ride tags, and deceive mutual follows -> now this will lead to immediate failure (killed by deduplication and anti-spam algorithms).
New Model: Persona-based Large Accounts (Grok-friendly)
The algorithm now has a strong memory of author profiles. You need to make AI remember "what this person is an expert in." Once tagged with high-value labels, every tweet you post will receive preferential treatment from the initial traffic pool.
Practical Three Steps:

Vertical Anchoring: 80% of content should focus on a single track. Avoid posting random life tweets, maintain content vector purity for Grok to quickly categorize.
Semantic Feeding: Use industry jargon frequently. High-frequency use of professional terms (e.g., TVL, MEV) in your Bio and tweets actively "feeds" the algorithm to reinforce your expert identity.
Graph Binding: Ride on top weights. Frequently interact deeply with leading accounts in your track (e.g., Vitalik, official protocols) to leverage the social graph's relevance to enhance your own weight.

At the same time, when publishing content, aim to create "Banger Posts."

💡 What is a "Banger Post"?

Definition: Refers to top-tier content that can instantly ignite interaction and even "push the timeline," for which the official has even introduced the Certified Bangers badge.
Money-making Logic: It is a favorite of Grok. It doesn't look at follower count but at the depth of real interaction. A logically sound Banger can instantly trigger the Phoenix system (stranger recommendations), allowing small accounts to gain hundreds of thousands of precise exposures, making it the best vehicle for high commissions and million-dollar rewards.

5. Market Consensus: Summary of KOL Opinions

To verify the impact of the new algorithm on actual operations, we have compiled the 12 most representative voices within the CT circle. These opinions reveal a common trend: "false prosperity" is collapsing, and "real value" is beginning to be priced.

1. Algorithm and Ecological Reshaping: Goodbye to "Inflated Content"

@Phyrex_Ni (XHunt Chinese #8): Ineffective interactions that increase followers actually deduct points.
🔗 https://x.com/Phyrex_Ni/status/2010126344399794254
Citing X's official viewpoint, it points out that "crazy replies (like gm) to gain followers" is the biggest misconception currently. The algorithm has stripped away the exposure quota for ineffective interactions, and meaningless spamming will instead harm account weight.
@0xKingsKuan (XHunt Chinese #401): From "quantity" to "quality."
🔗 https://x.com/0xKingsKuan/status/2007704780945453115
Future points and rewards will introduce thresholds of "reputation + on-chain behavior," marking the end of the "shallow engagement" era, with traffic flowing to creators with cleaner data.
@biquanliergou (XHunt Chinese #2694): Cycle of the track.
🔗 https://x.com/biquanliergou/status/2011862271274991867
With the Kaito-style "bot API" being banned, the noise era of InfoFi has ended. Authentic "tutorials" and quality business orders will return, as users need tutorials rather than spam noise.
@punk2898 (XHunt Chinese #197): Exposing the algorithm's underbelly.
🔗 https://x.com/punk2898/status/2013538743467286981
A 6000-word hardcore breakdown reveals the open-source code in "human language." The core reveals the traffic allocation mechanism between "follower flow" and "discovery flow," as well as the algorithm's strict limitation on "author diversity": this means that spamming tactics are completely ineffective, and precise output after understanding the code logic is the way to go.

2. Monetization and Mindset Building: The Entry Posture of the Dividend Period

@Bitwux (XHunt Chinese #22): Overcoming "content shame."
🔗 https://x.com/Bitwux/status/2012063949232226455
Addressing the psychological barrier many have about "not daring to write long articles," it emphasizes that in the current algorithmic upheaval, maintaining output is more important than pursuing a single viral post. First, run through the process; don’t self-censor out of fear that no one will read.
@Bqlsj2023 (XHunt Chinese #70): Interaction is the only truth.
🔗 https://x.com/Bqlsj2023/status/2013508218350436588
The current recommendations are fully entrusted to the Grok model's self-learning, making spamming completely ineffective. The algorithm cares most about whether it can truly retain people and spark conversations. Back-and-forth deep dialogue is the strongest signal for scoring.
@DeFiTeddy2020 (XHunt Chinese #88): Practical guidelines and XHunt traffic tools.
🔗 https://x.com/DeFiTeddy2020/status/2013506697202184692
Summarizes the six golden rules for X creators recommended by Grok. In response to the urgent need for "real traffic" filtering, XHunt has launched the "Traffic Ranking" feature to help users track KOLs, topics, project hotspots, and identify who has genuine interactions.
@DtDt666 (XHunt Chinese #255): The truth about earning 2 million a year.
🔗 https://x.com/DtDt666/status/2007698288347410635
Shares personal experience revealing that in 2025, income from ads + commissions is about 2 million RMB. The core secret lies in "self-education" and "vertical positioning," continuously sharing growth paths to attract high-value traffic.
@DRbitcoin36 (XHunt Chinese #408): Creator bull market.
🔗 https://x.com/DRbitcoin36/status/2007376209626444015
Observes that the basic income of Chinese CT is rising (with a ceiling of up to 2990 USD). X's incentive mechanism is forming a positive cycle, and now is the dividend period for continuous producers.

3. Content Creation Methodology: Long Articles, Persona, and Counter-Consensus

@y_cryptoanalyst (XHunt Chinese #319): The game of traffic and depth.
🔗 https://x.com/y_cryptoanalyst/status/2013119291512820082
Points out the current contradiction for KOLs: Should they write long articles to cater to the algorithm, or follow their hearts and post short rants? This indirectly confirms that the weight of long articles is forcing creators to change their behavioral habits.
@oran_ge (XHunt Chinese #682): Pragmatism wins.
🔗 https://x.com/oran_ge/status/2006848798816108582
Using a single guide (2 million exposures, 10,000 rebates) as an example, it proves that the algorithm rewards "high signal-to-noise ratio" content. Detailed, helpful content has a strong long-tail monetization ability.
@JimmyShequ (XHunt Chinese #2950): Reject mediocrity.
🔗 https://x.com/JimmyShequ/status/2012858319820784097
Under tag restrictions, ordinary content struggles to stand out. Viral articles require "counter-consensus" and "narrative upgrades." KOLs must dare to take a stand, gaining loyal followers through personal resonance rather than merely being a content aggregator.

💡 Biteye's Perspective

CT in 2026 is no longer a wild world.

This is an era where cognitive efficiency is systematically amplified.

The algorithm has finally sided with "serious thinkers."

If you are willing to:

Clearly write about something
Create a good visual
Establish stable output of viewpoints

Then this round of reshuffling is favorable for you.

Next Step:

Find your positioning: Whether it's a platform or a project, they prefer accounts that are sufficiently vertically specialized, have high fan stickiness, and are memorable.
Interactive opinions: Reject being a parrot; don’t just retweet news. While chasing trends, add your logical judgment (Grok likes logic).
Charts are king: Learn to visualize complex information; a good chart is worth a thousand words (clickbait tool).
Embrace long articles: Whether for that million-dollar reward or for higher ad rates, long articles are the optimal solution under the current algorithm.
Opportunities for small accounts: The new algorithm clearly eliminates author bias. As long as your content is sufficiently Banger (able to instantly ignite interaction), gaining genuine deep interactions early can trigger the Phoenix system's stranger recommendations, leading to explosive single posts.

⬇️ Appendix: A Must-Read Guide for Creators

[Official SOP] Twitter Article Writing Guide:
https://x.com/XCreators/status/2011957172821737574
[Real Money] Million Dollar Reward Activity:
https://x.com/XCreators/status/2012306731867717852
[Practical Tool] Hotspot Tracking Tool Recommendation:
https://x.com/BiteyeCN/status/2013204713005797752
[Wealth Experiment] Revealing KOL Cycle:
https://x.com/BiteyeCN/status/1986748741592711374

[KOL Panorama] Influence Map of Chinese KOLs under the InfoFi Wave:

https://x.com/BiteyeCN/status/1973675694270935409

免责声明：本文章仅代表作者个人观点，不代表本平台的立场和观点。本文章仅供信息分享，不构成对任何人的任何投资建议。用户与作者之间的任何争议，与本平台无关。如网页中刊载的文章或图片涉及侵权，请提供相关的权利证明和身份证明发送邮件到support@aicoin.com，本平台相关工作人员将会进行核查。