YouTube has expanded its innovative "Hype" feature to 39 countries, including major markets like the US, UK, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and India, offering a game-changing opportunity for smaller creators to gain visibility.
Initially introduced in 2024 at the Made on YouTube event, the Hype button allows fans to actively support emerging channels with fewer than 500,000 subscribers, helping them stand out in a crowded platform. This global rollout, announced on August 26, 2025, aims to empower viewers to play a direct role in amplifying fresh voices while fostering a stronger sense of community engagement.
How the Hype Feature Works
The mechanics of the Hype feature remain straightforward yet impactful:
- Three Free Hypes Per Week: Viewers can hype up to three videos per week from creators with fewer than 500,000 subscribers. The feature is accessible via a dedicated Hype button displayed below eligible videos, typically alongside the "Like" button, for the first seven days after a video is published.
- Small Creator Bonus: To level the playing field, YouTube applies a multiplier effect, where channels with fewer subscribers receive more points per hype. This ensures that smaller creators have a fair shot at climbing the ranks, even against those closer to the 500,000-subscriber threshold.
- Leaderboard and Homepage Visibility: Hyped videos earn points that contribute to a weekly regional leaderboard, accessible via the Explore menu. Additionally, videos that gain significant traction can appear on YouTube’s homepage with a prominent “hyped” badge, increasing their exposure to a broader audience.
These elements make Hype a unique tool for discovery, distinct from YouTube’s recommendation algorithm, as it relies on community-driven support rather than algorithmic boosts alone. Importantly, hyping a video does not influence search results or personalized recommendations, ensuring the leaderboard remains a separate avenue for discovering new content.
Enhancing Creator and Fan Engagement
The Hype feature is designed to deepen the connection between creators and their audiences. By giving viewers the power to boost their favorite videos, YouTube fosters a sense of active participation. Fans receive notifications when a hyped video nears the leaderboard and can earn a monthly “Hype Star” badge for consistent support, adding a gamified element to the experience. Creators, meanwhile, can track their hype points and performance through a new analytics card in YouTube Studio, providing valuable insights into audience engagement.
YouTube’s data from beta testing in Brazil, Taiwan, and Turkey underscores the feature’s potential. During a four-week trial, viewers hyped videos over five million times across more than 50,000 channels, with 18- to 24-year-olds making up over 30% of participants. This enthusiastic response highlights the feature’s appeal, particularly among younger audiences eager to support up-and-coming creators.
The Promise of Paid Hypes: Still on Hold
Last year, YouTube teased a “new revenue stream” for creators, hinting at the ability for fans to purchase additional hypes beyond the three free weekly allocations. This paid feature, currently being tested in Brazil and Turkey, would allow creators to earn a share of the revenue, similar to Super Chat or Super Thanks, where YouTube takes a 30% cut of a 70/30 split. However, no further details have emerged regarding a global rollout or specific pricing, leaving creators and fans awaiting clarity on this monetization opportunity.
While the prospect of paid hypes could provide small creators with a financial boost, it has sparked concerns about potential exploitation. Some worry that wealthier creators or those with dedicated fanbases could dominate leaderboards by encouraging purchased hypes, potentially undermining the feature’s goal of fairness. YouTube has emphasized safeguards to prevent abuse, but the lack of transparency about the paid system’s implementation remains a point of contention.
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A Step Toward a More Inclusive YouTube
The global expansion of the Hype feature reflects YouTube’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by smaller creators in a platform dominated by established channels. Unlike viral trends or algorithmic boosts, Hype empowers viewers to directly influence which creators rise to prominence, creating a more democratic path to visibility. As YouTube continues to refine this feature, the platform’s focus on fostering community-driven discovery could reshape how new talent breaks through, making it an exciting time for both creators and their fans.
