SIDE HUSTLES FOR INTERNATIONAL CREATORS
Outside the US? You have access to higher-paying programs that block US affiliates. Crypto exchanges with up to 70% commission. Premium freelance markets. Global gig work.
International creators have access to higher-commission crypto exchanges (MEXC 70%, BingX 60%, OKX 50%) plus all globally-available programs.
Top 10 picks
Substack
$0–$50,000/moNewsletter platform. Free to start. 10% commission on paid subs. Top creators earn $1M+/year.
Fireblocks
$0–$50K/deal (B2B)Enterprise custody platform. B2B referral bounties for qualified introductions.
BitGo
$0–$50K/deal (B2B)Institutional custody. Partner referral for qualified B2B introductions.
YouTube Partner Program
$0–$30,000/moMonetize YouTube videos via ads. Need 1,000 subs + 4,000 watch hours. RPM varies by niche.
Medium Partner Program
$0–$50,000/moGet paid for articles read by Medium members. Earnings based on read time + member engagement.
Patreon
$50–$10,000/moMembership platform for creators. Tiered subscription support. 5-12% commission depending on plan.
Gumroad
$50–$10,000/moSell digital products (ebooks, courses, software, music). 10% flat platform fee. No monthly cost.
Stan Store
$200–$10,000/moLink-in-bio + checkout for creators. 0% transaction fees. $29-99/mo. Best for TikTok/Instagram creators.
MEXC
$150–$3,000/moDeep altcoin listings, light KYC. Highest ceiling at 70%.
Aave
Speculative (airdrops)Largest DeFi lending protocol. On-chain referral code in V3. Requires integration.
Also worth considering
Lido
Integration partner program
EigenLayer
Points program — no direct referral yet
Ethena
Sats/shards referral system
Alchemy
Developer referral program
QuickNode
50% of first month (account credit)
Moralis
15% recurring lifetime
Pendle
vePENDLE monthly airdrops from partner protocols
Scroll
Points-based, SCRL airdrop
Toptal
$60-200+/hr (top 3% only)
TikTok Creativity Program
$0.20-1 per 1000 views (qualifying)
Twitch Affiliate
50% subs + bits + ads
Etsy Seller
Sell handmade/digital (6.5% fee)
OKX
Up to 60% rebate lifetime
Binance
Up to 40% spot, up to 30% futures
TradingView
Up to $300 per paid subscription
Upwork
$10-150+/hr freelance work
Contra
0% commission freelancing
Coinbase
50% fee share, 3 months
Koinly
20% first purchase, 10% recurring
Fiverr
$5-1000+ per gig (you set price)
Frequently asked
01What's the best country to be in for side hustles?
Tier 1: UAE, Singapore (no income tax, premium ad rates). Tier 2: UK, Germany, Australia (premium ad markets). Tier 3: Philippines, India, Pakistan (lower cost of living + USD-paying programs).
02Best programs for non-US creators?
Crypto: MEXC (70%), BingX (60%), OKX (50%). Surveys: Prolific ($8-12/hour, all countries). Freelance: Upwork (10% commission, global). Creator: TikTok Creator Fund, YouTube Partner — both pay globally with regional RPM differences.
03Do I need to convert earnings to local currency?
Most programs pay in USDT (crypto exchanges) or USD via PayPal. You can hold USDT, convert to fiat via local exchange, or spend via crypto card (Gnosis Pay in EU, Crypto.com card in 90+ countries).