The news: Funding for US-based creator economy companies hit a four-year high in Q1 with $928 million in investments, per The Information, up about 140% YoY.

But that boom might be short-lived—President Donald Trump’s high tariffs on China could reduce US social media ad spending in 2025 by up to $10 billion versus our existing forecast, shrinking the revenue pool that creators and content platforms rely on and potentially making investors more cautious.

Source of intrigue: Consumer time and digital ad spend on YouTube is skyrocketing, leaving space for new companies to help influencers create and monetize content.