Bilibili: YouTube’s Global Competitor That Also Offers Monetization

Bilibili is a Chinese platform launched in China in 2009. However, only now, 17 years later, is the platform moving forward with its globalization plans. Until recently, the social network focused on anime, manga, and games, targeting a predominantly Chinese audience. Now, with plans to become a global competitor, Bilibili could introduce a new way of approaching social media.

We will explain what Bilibili is, how it works, and what opportunities the platform could bring to Western businesses. This will help us understand whether this competitor is truly a threat to YouTube or whether it is merely online speculation.

What is Bilibili?

Bilibili is a Chinese long-form video platform created in 2009 that revealed its international expansion plans in 2026. The social network originally focused heavily on anime, manga, and games, an area known as ACG culture (anime, comics, and games). Over the years, it became a much broader platform, offering content about technology, education, music, lifestyle, entertainment, gaming, live streams, and creator-produced videos.

The platform has impressive numbers, with around 376 million active users, most of whom are located in China. Today, it works as a combination of:

• YouTube, through creator-produced videos;
• Twitch, through live streams;
• Crunchyroll, due to its strong history with anime;
• and a social network and community, with a high level of interaction during videos.

One of its best-known features is danmaku, a system in which comments move across the screen while a video is playing. This creates a much more community-oriented experience than simply watching a video and leaving a comment underneath it.

Why is Bilibili being called a “new YouTube competitor”?

Because Bilibili is now seriously looking beyond China.

In August 2026, the company intensified its international expansion by relaunching its global app, reducing registration barriers for international users, and recruiting professionals to develop communities in global markets. The company is already targeting cities such as São Paulo, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, and Mexico City.

The international app is already available for Android, while expansion to other platforms and the development of an English-language web experience are also part of this movement.

Can anyone create content on Bilibili?

Yes! Anyone can create content on the platform, but there is an important detail: creating content on Bilibili does not necessarily mean you will also be able to monetize it. Today, Bilibili allows any user to create an account and publish videos as an UP主, the equivalent of a YouTube creator. With the platform’s global expansion, including access from Brazil, registration has become even easier.

However, Bilibili’s main monetization program is still primarily structured around its Chinese ecosystem. In other words, creators must meet certain requirements before they can monetize content and turn their work into a business opportunity and source of revenue. In fact, Bilibili’s official communication describes its incentive program as being designed for individual creators. In an official update published in May 2026, the platform reinforced that its video monetization program is intended for personal creator accounts.

Requirements for monetizing videos on Bilibili

The main system is called 创作激励, which can be translated as the “Creator Incentive Program.” According to the most recent official guidelines published by Bilibili’s support team on May 5, 2026, an account must meet the following requirements to apply for video monetization:

• be an individual account, not a business account with a blue verification badge;
• not be banned or suspended;
• have a Creator Rights Level of 3 or higher;
• have a credit score of 80 or higher.

This is one of the main differences between Bilibili and YouTube. Bilibili does not use the same straightforward model as YouTube, based on “X subscribers plus Y watch hours.” Instead, the system evaluates the account and the creator’s history of engagement and loyalty. Therefore, the creators who receive incentives are not those looking to simply “exploit” the platform, but those who genuinely want to become part of the Bilibili community.

What types of videos can generate revenue on Bilibili?

In addition to the basic requirements, there are also rules concerning the content itself. Historically, the program has required videos to be produced by the creators themselves. Content that is simply reposted from third parties is not eligible for incentives.

There are also special categories and programs. Under the program for exclusive content or videos published on Bilibili first, for example, a video must:

• be original;
• be public;
• not be an advertisement;
• be at least 30 seconds long;
• comply with the community guidelines.

Bilibili may also offer larger bonuses for videos published exclusively on the platform or released there first. One official program offers revenue multipliers for certain exclusive videos or content initially published on Bilibili. This is an interesting difference compared with YouTube, which is often used as a republishing platform for clips and similar content.

How does Bilibili calculate creator earnings?

There is no simple public rule such as:

“1,000 views = X dollars.”

The basic incentive considers several signals, including content quality, user interaction, and publishing frequency.

Bilibili also offers several other monetization options beyond video-related payments, such as creator advertising, sales, live streams, fan contributions, courses, and direct contracts with the platform. Its official documentation even considers these different revenue sources when calculating how much a particular creator can earn within the ecosystem.

Can Brazilian creators monetize their content today?

There are several important points to consider. Creating an account and publishing content is becoming much easier for international users. However, monetizing content and withdrawing earnings internationally are still matters that require further clarification. Bilibili’s global expansion is extremely recent, and because of this, there are still no clear official instructions explaining how international creators can withdraw their earnings.

Some international platforms, including YouTube and Twitch, have organized systems that allow creators to withdraw their earnings through international banks or money transfer companies. However, Bilibili is currently undergoing a transition. The company is opening its platform to international users, while much of its creator and monetization infrastructure was originally developed for the Chinese market.

Comparing Bilibili with YouTube

This is exactly why the current moment is so interesting for studying the platform and determining whether it could become a valuable channel. We recommend following Bilibili’s official sources to understand whether monetization could become a good option for your brand. Until then, you can create an account, consume content, and increase your account level, demonstrating that you are genuinely engaged with the platform.

Does Bilibili make sense for Brazilian creators?

Yes, but for now, Bilibili makes more sense as an experimental channel than as a replacement for YouTube. The platform may be especially interesting for creators working with anime, gaming, technology, animation, Asian culture, music, and content aimed at Generation Z.

The platform itself has provided concrete signs of its interest in Brazil. Bilibili relaunched its international app, simplified registration for international users, and began recruiting professionals in São Paulo to develop partnerships with creators, studios, and local communities. According to Exame, Brazil is among the markets selected for the expansion, which also involves MrBeast.

However, monetization still requires caution. The program presented on the translated official page was developed for the Chinese ecosystem, uses internal reputation criteria, and processes payments through Bilibili’s financial system. There is still no sufficiently clear official confirmation that a Brazilian creator can participate, connect a Brazilian bank account, and withdraw earnings normally.

Therefore, the best approach at this stage would be to publish content that has already been created for other networks while adapting titles, captions, and language to the platform’s audience. This allows creators to test organic reach and build an early presence without depending on Bilibili as an immediate source of revenue.

In summary, joining early may be worthwhile for observing the platform and securing space, but it is still not advisable to focus an entire strategy on Bilibili. The real turning point will come when Bilibili officially confirms an international monetization and payment program that is accessible to Brazilian creators.

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