Video podcasting is booming on Spotify: consumption of video podcasts has risen 140% since the feature launched in 2022, and total monthly payouts to shows are up about a third since January 2026, according to the company’s September 2026 Partner Program expansion announcement covered by TechCrunch, RAIN News and AsiaOne.

The growth is driving Spotify’s biggest creator-monetization bet: the Partner Program’s expansion to 35 new markets this fall, including Italy, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. New markets open October 20, 2026. Eligible podcasters earn a share of Premium video revenue plus 50% of ad revenue Spotify sells into their episodes.

The entry bar dropped earlier in 2026 to three published episodes, 2,000 consumption hours and 1,000 engaged listeners in the last 30 days — down from 12 episodes, 10,000 hours and 2,000 listeners. Spotify says the lower threshold increased consumption in participating shows by an average of 45%.

The competitive context is YouTube, where video podcasts compete for the same watch time. Spotify’s pitch to creators is a second revenue stream for content they already make: upload long-form video once, earn on both platforms, and keep all sponsorship revenue on top.

For creators, the 140% consumption figure is the signal that audiences have accepted video inside a historically audio app — and the lowered thresholds mean mid-size shows can now participate, not just networks.

The takeaway for creators: if you record video for YouTube, distribute it as a video podcast on Spotify too. Same recording session, second payout pool — and check whether your market opens on October 20.