VK Donat Expands Creator Earnings on VKontakte
Russian social network VKontakte has expanded monetization options for creators, introducing a new tool called VK Donat that allows users to earn directly from their audience.
Previously available only to communities, the feature is now open to personal profile owners, allowing them to generate income through exclusive content and audience loyalty.
How does it work? Any VKontakte user with a personal account can choose from several monetization formats: setting fundraising goals, accepting one-time donations under posts, or launching one or multiple tiers of monthly subscriptions with bonuses and exclusive content. To receive donats, creators can offer both practical materials and premium content. “Closed” posts appear in subscribers’ feeds with a special label, helping authors monetize additional content more effectively.
Personal Profile as a Business Tool
VK representatives say they are not stopping here. The company plans to expand Donat functionality within personal profiles, enabling more frequent interaction between creators and audiences and unlocking new ways to engage and earn. The update is expected to roll out to all users’ personal profiles in the near future.
According to the platform, VKontakte is developing personal profiles as a long-term tool for creators. Earlier, users gained access to features such as publishing “Trends” in VK Clips, launching channels, and earning commissions from partner product sales. Results for 2025 show that creator earnings through VK Donat grew by 1.5 times, reaching a record 2.23 billion rubles (about $24 million).
This change in how platforms work with creators lowers the barrier to entry for monetization. Previously, authors had to build and manage separate communities. Now they can earn directly through their personal profiles. For the market, this signals a move toward a model where personal brands become standalone economic units within the platform. The change is particularly significant for the development of social platforms and fintech infrastructure.
A Magnet for Bloggers and Businesses
VKontakte is strengthening its ecosystem and creating incentives for bloggers and micro-influencers to stay and operate within a domestic platform. Users can support their favorite creators without switching to external services, while creators benefit from simpler monetization and revenue growth. At a broader level, this shift supports the national economy: the more direct support tools exist within local platforms, the less dependent the segment becomes on foreign services and external payment systems.
Over time, the number of monetized creators on the platform is expected to grow. VKontakte is increasingly focusing on direct creator-audience interaction rather than community-based formats. This could transform personal profiles into fully monetizable digital assets, similar to models used by global platforms. Subscription and donation models also allow the platform to grow its creative segment while reducing reliance on advertising budgets. In the long run, expanded monetization tools will help drive new digital solutions, create jobs, and give businesses broader access to infrastructure for selling products, attracting customers, and promoting services.
