TikTok Deal, IRS 1099-K Reset, and AI Everywhere - Today’s Big Shifts in U.S. Online Earning

Updated: Oct 28, 2025 · Reading time: 12–14 minutes
From TikTok’s U.S. sale inching toward a signature, to the IRS reverting Form 1099-K thresholds back to $20,000 and 200 transactions, and Adobe’s report showing 86% of creators using generative AI, the online-earning landscape in the U.S. just changed again. If you make money via short-form video, marketplaces (Etsy/Shopify), affiliates, brand deals, or freelancing, this is your “all-in-one” digest with practical takeaways for today. Adobe Newsroom+4Scripps News+4CNA+4

TL DR: Why today matters

TikTok U.S. sale is slated to be finalized on Thursday (Oct 30) at a Trump–Xi meeting in Korea, per Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. U.S. and international investors would own the majority; control of the algorithm shifts to the U.S. entity. If consummated, creators/shops get platform stability after months of uncertainty. Scripps News+2CNA+2
The IRS formally restored the 1099-K threshold to $20,000 & 200 transactions, scrapping the phased $5k/$2.5k plan. This immediately affects side-hustlers using Venmo/PayPal/Stripe/Etsy/Shopify in 2025 filings. IRS+1
Adobe’s 2025 Creators’ Toolkit (released today) finds 86% of creators use generative/agentic AI-a strong tailwind for content velocity and monetization ops (thumbnails, scripts, product shots). Adobe Newsroom+1
Etsy Payments policy updates took effect Oct 9, 2025, tightening payouts/compliance-important for handmade and print-on-demand sellers. Etsy+1
Plus: ChatGPT “instant checkout” with Etsy/Shopify expands AI-agent shopping-a new demand channel for U.S. sellers. AP News+1

Today’s news-at a glance

The biggest swing factor for creators right now is TikTok’s U.S. status. Over the weekend and into today, officials reiterated that a deal is ready and the leaders will “consummate” it Oct 30-ending the limbo that started with the 2024 divestiture law and this year’s shutdown scares. That stability matters: advertisers hate uncertainty, and brands delayed budgets; a durable resolution can re-open Q4/Q1 ad spend and TikTok Shop pushes. Scripps News+2CNA+2

Just as crucial, the IRS issued new FAQs/news releases confirming the 1099-K reset-meaning many casual sellers won’t receive a 1099-K unless they cross both $20,000 and 200 transactions. (You still owe tax on net profit—this change is about reporting forms, not taxability.) For platforms, compliance gets simpler; for side-hustlers, paperwork anxiety eases a notch. IRS+1

Meanwhile, Adobe MAX kicked off with data: 86% of creators are already using Gen-AI to meet content demand. Think: product mockups, B-roll, captions, briefs, and A/B thumbnails-key levers for RPM and conversion. Adobe Newsroom+1

Lastly, Etsy’s payments policy changes (effective Oct 9) and ChatGPT × Etsy/Shopify checkout expand the pipes money flows through-payout procedures on one end; AI-agent commerce on the other. Etsy+2AP News+2

“Kab aur kahan?” – Today’s U.S. news timeline

Times shown in ET where available. Headlines earlier this week are included if they’re still driving today’s creator/earning decisions.

Time (ET)	What happened	Why it matters for online earning	Source
5:00 a.m.	Adobe publishes Creators’ Toolkit datapoints (MAX): 86% using Gen-AI.	Validates AI workflows (faster creative/testing → better RPM/CTR).	MarketScreener
Morning	Treasury signals TikTok deal will be finalized Thursday (Oct 30) at Trump–Xi summit.	Platform stability → ad budgets & TikTok Shop momentum can resume.	Scripps News+1
Context (Oct 23)	IRS issues 1099-K FAQs: threshold reverts to $20k/200 under OBBBA.	Less surprise 1099-K forms for casual sellers; same tax rules apply.	IRS+1
Recent weeks	ChatGPT checkout with Etsy/Shopify announced.	New AI-driven demand channel; prep listings for conversational shopping.	AP News+1
Effective Oct 9	Etsy Payments policy tightened, latest updates live.	Watch holds/disbursements; ensure compliance to avoid payout delays.	Etsy

Impact scoreboard – who’s “up” and who’s “down” today

Area	Direction	Why (1-liner)	What you should do
TikTok creators & TikTok Shop sellers	UP	Deal → platform continuity likely; ad budgets thaw.	Refresh ad media; plan Oct 30–Nov promos; align with U.S. buyer time zones. Scripps News+1
Casual sellers on Venmo/PayPal/Etsy/Shopify	UP	1099-K reset to $20k/200 reduces surprise forms.	Still track profit; use bookkeeping app; set aside tax % monthly. IRS
Brand deals (Q4 holiday)	MIXED	Some brands delaying to last minute amid macro noise.	Pitch quick-turn bundles; offer performance-based pricing. Digiday
Etsy sellers	MIXED	Payments policy adds friction if compliance is weak.	Verify IDs, policy compliance; build buffer for potential holds. Etsy
AI-assisted creators	UP	86% using Gen-AI → competitive to adopt workflows.	Systematize prompts; A/B test thumbnails/scripts; document SOPs. Adobe Newsroom
YouTube “repetitious content” channels	DOWN (risk)	YPP reminders tighten originality bar.	Add transformation/originality; diversify to Shorts + community. Google Help

TikTok Deal, IRS 1099-K Reset, and AI Everywhere - Today’s Big Shifts in U.S. Online Earning — TikTok Deal, IRS 1099-K Reset, and AI Everywhere – Today’s Big Shifts in U.S. Online Earning

Deep dive 1 – TikTok’s U.S. sale: what creators should expect

Multiple outlets report that U.S. and China have a finalized framework to transfer control of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a new investor group; leaders are set to sign Oct 30. Details include majority ownership by U.S./international investors and algorithm control based in the U.S. For creators, two things matter:

Continuity of audience & payouts – The biggest earnings risk was a hard shutdown or prolonged uncertainty. A signed deal should de-risk ad pauses and brand freeze-ups. Scripps News+1
Compliance & disclosure – Expect new U.S.-centric policies on data, ads, political content, and commerce guardrails. Shops should audit product compliance early. CNA

Actionables for the next 72 hours:

Prepare a “deal is done” creative set (hooks for Reels/Shorts too).
Re-open paused Q4 bundles to brands with post-Oct 30 delivery windows.
Refresh shop logistics (shipping cutoffs, returns) and product pages for likely traffic spikes.

Deep dive 2 – IRS 1099-K reset (OBBBA): how it hits side-hustles

The IRS published FAQs/news clarifying that, under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, third-party settlement organizations (e.g., PayPal, Venmo, Stripe, Etsy Payments, Shopify Payments) revert to the old threshold: > $20,000 AND > 200 transactions to issue a Form 1099-K. Prior phased plans for $5,000 (2024) and $2,500 (2025) are off. IRS+1

Plain English:

If you sell occasionally and do under $20k and under 200 transactions this year, you likely won’t get a 1099-K.
You still must report income/net profit on taxes-this only affects the form you receive, not whether income is taxable.
Platforms will still ask you for W-9 info; keep it accurate.

Side-hustle checklist (non-tax advice):

Track gross sales, costs, and mileage (if applicable).
Use a business bank account to separate income/expenses.
Estimate quarterly taxes if you’re consistently profitable.
Download year-end statements from your platforms. Carry+1

Deep dive 3 – AI is now table stakes (Adobe MAX)

Adobe’s new report (released today) shows 86% of creators using generative/agentic AI-not just for images, but script first drafts, captions, localization, mockups, and batch A/B. For monetization, that means faster output, more experiments, and better conversion assets (thumbnails, landing images, PDP photos). If you’re not building AI SOPs, you’ll feel behind. Adobe Newsroom+1

Where to deploy, today:

Etsy/Shopify: Generate product hero variants and lifestyle composites; test alt text/meta quickly.
TikTok/Reels/Shorts: Auto-captioning, hook drafts, B-roll filler.
Blog/affiliate: Outlines, schema snippets, meta variants (human edit mandatory).

Platform policy watch – Etsy & YouTube

Etsy Payments Policy (effective Oct 9, 2025): Updates to payouts, acting as agent, and compliance expectations. Noncompliance → holds/delays. Read and align your shop settings (IDs, bank details, policy text). Etsy
YouTube YPP “repetitious content” reminders (July 2025): Not brand-new rules, but stricter enforcement emphasizes original transformation. Channels relying on reused clips/AI voiceovers without transformation face monetization risk. Diversify income streams (merch, memberships, email list) as a buffer. Google Help

Action plan – turn today’s news into earnings

If you’re a short-form video creator

Build 3 campaign offers for brands: Story + Post + Shop link, UGC asset pack, Live + carousel recap.
Target post-Oct 30 windows on TikTok if/when the deal signs; mirror to Reels/Shorts to de-risk.

If you sell on Etsy/Shopify

Review Etsy Payments policy changes; clear any verification tasks.
Prep for ChatGPT checkout discovery: make titles/attributes conversational (“What’s a good gift for…” style) and bullets scannable. AP News+1

If you’re a freelancer

Use the Adobe datapoint to position yourself as AI-enabled (faster turnarounds).
Pitch “AI acceleration” add-ons: thumbnail kits, caption packs, product mockups. Adobe Newsroom

Table – “What changed for me?” quick reference (H2)

Topic	What changed	Who benefits	What to do today
TikTok U.S. sale	Leaders set to sign Oct 30; majority U.S./intl ownership; algorithm control in U.S.	TikTok creators, TikTok Shop merchants	Prep Q4 promos; audit product governance; pitch brands now. Scripps News+1
IRS 1099-K	Threshold reverts to $20k/200 under OBBBA	Casual sellers, micro-merchants	Keep books; understand you still owe taxes on profit. IRS
Adobe MAX	86% of creators use Gen-AI	All creators/freelancers	Build AI SOPs; A/B creative; document prompts. Adobe Newsroom
Etsy Payments	Updates effective Oct 9, 2025	Etsy sellers	Verify ID/bank; read new terms; watch for holds. Etsy
ChatGPT checkout	Buy via ChatGPT from Etsy; Shopify “coming soon”	Etsy/Shopify sellers	Optimize listings for conversational queries. AP News+1

Q1) Will the TikTok deal definitely restore ad spend?

If the signing goes ahead Oct 30, the policy risk premium drops, which typically re-opens budgets-especially for Q4/Q1 tests. But brands will still look for brand-safe inventory and measurement. Scripps New

Q2) With 1099-K back to $20k/200, do I still owe tax if I sell less?

Yes. The change is about reporting forms, not whether income is taxable. You must report net profit from sales regardless of a 1099-K. (Talk to a tax pro for your situation.) IRS

Q4) What’s new in Etsy Payments that could affect me?

Updated terms govern disbursements/compliance; shops out of compliance may see holds. Make sure IDs, bank info, policies, and product governance are in order.

Conclusion

Today’s signal: a more stable TikTok, a clearer 1099-K rule, and mainstream AI adoption. Together, these shifts reduce some regulatory fog and increase the tools at your disposal to create, sell, and scale in the U.S. creator economy. The near-term playbook is simple: prepare post-Oct 30 TikTok pushes, align your bookkeeping with the IRS threshold reality, and bake AI into your daily production (with human editing for quality and trust). On marketplaces, read Etsy Payments fine print and shape listings for conversational discovery as ChatGPT checkout rolls forward. Keep testing; keep receipts; keep creating.