The creator economy is becoming increasingly intertwined with some of the world’s largest media, technology, and financial companies. This summer, major players including Disney, TikTok, Accenture, Snap, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Mastercard announced new investments, products, and partnerships that put creators at the center of their strategies.
Here are six creator economy developments to know from this summer.
A New Partnership Between Disney And TikTok
According to Reuters, Disney and TikTok announced a new partnership that will let TikTok creators use Disney content in short-form videos. This pilot program between TikTok and Disney will start in the U.S. TikTok creators will have access to Disney films and shows, including popular series and IPs like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar.
In this new deal between the social media platform and streaming platform, a collection of videos will stream on both platforms. Disney+ will showcase TikTok videos under a “Verts” tab. This will be the first time TikTok videos will be available on a streaming platform.
Snap Unveils $2,195 SPECS
Snap debuted its augmented reality glasses, SPECS, this summer. Snap’s wearable glasses feature a powerful built-in computer. SPECS are available for pre-order now and expected to ship later this year in the U.S.
These new AR glasses feature Bluetooth connectivity, custom stereo speakers, and a waveguide with billions of nanostructures that allow the wearer to see a 51-degree field of view.
Snap’s SPECS joins the wearables market, competing with Meta Glasses which start at $299.
YouTube Releases U.S. Creator Impact Report for 2025
With a focus on American creators, YouTube shares key insights for creators and YouTube’s impact on the United States. Key findings include:
- YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed over $60 billion to the United States GDP last year.
- YouTube shares content revenue with creators on the platform. $100 billion has been paid out from YouTube to creators, artists, and media companies in the last four years.
- With YouTube creators inhabiting the whole country, new creative job ecosystems continue to expand. The YouTube Impact report shared that the YouTube creative ecosystem supports more than 540,000+ jobs in the U.S.
LinkedIn Launches Creator Marketplace
LinkedIn recently shared that it’s rolled out an invite-only Creator Marketplace. Intended to help creators and brands discover and partner with one another, Creator Marketplace represents a major way LinkedIn is cultivating its creator community.
Eligibility for Creator Marketplace is based on expertise, topic alignment with advertiser demand, and content quality. Brands will have insights and the tools to identify the right creators. Brands can reach out to creators, discuss partnership terms (like payments), and more.
LinkedIn also shared that B2B marketers say that creators increase credibility and trust with brands and decision-makers.
Mastercard Now Offers A Debit Card Designed For Creators
Manifest Financial, a financial and banking operating system designed for the creator economy, recently announced the Manifest Debit Mastercard for creators. This new debit card is powered by Mastercard.
Manifest launched the Manifest Debit Mastercard to support creators and entrepreneurs for both long-term growth and everyday operations. This card also offers advanced security protections, including fraud monitoring and Mastercard ID Theft Protection. The Manifest Debit Mastercard also includes Mastercard Easy Savings and Business Builder, a suite of tools and resources to help creators launch and scale businesses.
