𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲

…𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔

By Yeshey Dolma

In January 2025, Bhutan recorded over 470,000 active social media users, according to DataReportal. This represents more than 59 percent of the country’s total population. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook have become a regular part of daily life, enabling people across Bhutan and beyond to connect and share content. However, despite high engagement with digital content, very few Bhutanese are earning income through these platforms. Currently, official earnings in the digital space appear limited to telecom providers such as B-Mobile and TashiCell.

Although creators are producing content in Dzongkha, English, and regional dialects, Bhutan remains disconnected from YouTube’s AdSense payment system. This lack of access prevents most creators from linking local bank accounts to receive payments for monetized videos. Many rely on alternatives such as Google Pay, assistance from relatives living abroad, or services like Payoneer to collect earnings. These methods are unregulated and present risks, leaving many aspiring creators without reliable ways to benefit financially from their work.

One content creator navigating these limitations is Yeshi Lhendup of Yeshi LhendupFilms. He manages two YouTube channels with over 308,000 and 29,000 subscribers, supported by a small production team. “We had to find alternative methods like using SWIFT codes and other creative workarounds just to make things work,” Yeshi said. Despite these constraints, his content reaches a wide audience beyond Bhutan, including viewers in Australia, Canada, the United States, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, and parts of Northeast India. His experience highlights the global reach social media platforms can provide, even from a small country.

Globally, YouTube paid out around USD 55 billion to content creators in 2024. According to a report by Oxford Economics commissioned by YouTube, this income supported nearly half a million full-time jobs in the United States alone, contributing to business growth, employment, and tax revenues. In Bhutan, these financial opportunities are not yet formally available to local creators due to the absence of official monetization pathways.

Ganga Ram Upreti, who runs a production house called GR-Studio, welcomes the recent changes to YouTube’s Partner Program, which came into effect on July 15, 2025. The update aims to limit mass-produced and reused content, including AI-generated videos, while prioritising original and creative productions. “This will definitely benefit musicians like me,” Ganga Ram said. “Our original compositions, music videos, and live recordings will now receive more visibility and recognition under YouTube’s new algorithm. This encourages more musicians to produce authentic content and invest in quality production, knowing that originality is more highly valued than ever.”

Other platforms also offer revenue opportunities. On average, YouTube pays around USD 18 for every 1,000 ad views, Facebook between USD 8 and USD 10, TikTok around USD 0.02 to USD 0.04 through its Creator Rewards Program, and Instagram influencers can earn from USD 10 to over USD 100 per sponsored post, even with smaller audiences. Despite these opportunities, most Bhutanese creators remain unable to access such earnings due to a lack of policy support and integration with local banking systems.

With a national population of approximately 770,000, Bhutan’s creators are still able to reach large international audiences. A video filmed in Trashiyangtse could find popularity in Toronto, while a singer from Bumthang may build a following in Bangkok. A comedian in Samtse could attract views from Singapore. These cross-border engagements present opportunities for creators to earn foreign currency, including dollars, euros, or rupees, and bring income back to Bhutan, contributing to the local economy.

The government has acknowledged the potential of this emerging sector. According to Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Employment, the 2024-25 national budget includes allocations intended to promote the creative economy. The budget designates Nu 30 million for digital content creators, Nu 30 million for training professionals in film, music, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, Nu 40 million for organising creative camps and events, and an additional Nu 40 million to support and co-produce films and series with global appeal. Lyonpo Dorji stated that these investments are expected to generate income and employment opportunities for young people, positioning content creation as an important contributor to the national economy.

Given the high youth unemployment rate, currently at 17.1 percent, digital platforms present an alternative path to address the challenges facing young people seeking meaningful work. Many youths already spend hours each day using their phones to watch, share, and create content. Turning this digital engagement into income could help reduce unemployment, broaden the economic base, and support gross domestic product growth. Greater internet access through services such as Starlink is also expected to expand opportunities to remote communities.

Realising this potential, however, depends on several developments. Financial institutions would need to integrate with international platforms such as Google AdSense to enable secure and legal transactions. Training programmes in digital skills and content monetization would help improve the quality and reach of Bhutanese creators. Additionally, policy recognition of digital content creation as an economic activity, along with clear guidelines for taxation and remittance, would be essential for long-term sustainability. Without such measures, many creators may remain excluded from an expanding global industry.

If Bhutanese banks and authorities were to collaborate with platforms like Google to allow AdSense payouts to local bank accounts, while offering training and introducing supportive policies, the impact could be significant. Legal monetization would allow income to be tracked and taxed, enabling Bhutan to benefit from content created within its borders.

To illustrate the potential, consider a creator whose video receives 100,000 views. If 40 percent of those views display ads, that equates to 40,000 ad views. At an average payout of USD 0.018 per view, the video could generate USD 720, or about Nu 60,000. Posting four such videos in a month could yield nearly Nu 230,000. YouTube Shorts, which pay about USD 0.03 to USD 0.07 per 1,000 views, could earn a creator around USD 50 for a video with 1 million views. Consistently uploading such content could further increase monthly income.

If even 50 creators each earned USD 1,000 a month, the total would be USD 50,000 monthly or USD 600,000 annually, approximately Nu 50 million- a notable addition to the national economy.

Social media offers Bhutanese creators access to global audiences, foreign income, and a new form of digital entrepreneurship. With the right infrastructure and policy environment, it could evolve into a viable economic sector contributing to the country’s growth.