Case A: Living in the Developed World?

Congratulations! You’re in a favorable position! As a writer and freelancer, you reap significant benefits. Nations and major corporations leverage these advantages to dominate others globally. You might have heard of Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Stick Ideology."

Now, all you need to do is amass 100 followers and create quality content. Joining the Medium Partner Program is straightforward. Once you connect to the program, opening a Stripe account and linking it to your local bank is a breeze.

Case B: Residing in the Darker Parts of the World?

Mieke van der Merwe accurately captures this predicament. In 2019, she found ways to navigate the restrictive measures imposed by the Developed World and crafted her own path to success. Those who followed her lead now earn modest amounts from their writing. However, it's worth noting that some of this advice may no longer be current.

What strategies did these Medium authors from "Darker countries" employ to secure payment? They established an intermediary service linking Stripe with their bank accounts. Here are two methods they often used:

• Open a Wise account (formerly known as TransferWise), now referred to as a Multi-currency account.
• Open a Payoneer account.

Both services enable you to obtain a legitimate local bank account in currencies like U.S. Dollars or Euros, aligning with the standards set by those in power.

Once you have an account with either service, you can connect your Medium Partner Program to Stripe, and then link Stripe to either Payoneer or Wise, allowing access to your hard-earned funds.

Be mindful that each service caters to different audiences, but both can help you claim what you rightfully deserve.

Case C: Living in the Darkest Part of the World?

Unfortunately, you find yourself in this category. The outlook is often grim, resulting in a direct confrontation with barriers that leave you empty-handed. The stars seem misaligned, and the sun doesn't shine in your favor. The principles of Theodore Roosevelt’s Big Stick ideology continue to resonate today.

This reality persists! Be thankful if you're not in one of these regions where striving for an honest living is frowned upon by the Developed World and its corporations.

Both Wise and Payoneer offer straightforward options to open accounts without obstacles. However, linking your earning potential with Stripe may not be as simple. Despite reading many Medium articles claiming success in opening their Stripe accounts, I concluded that the system favors only those from the first two categories.

I reside in a country often labeled as the "banking capital of the Americas," where the U.S. Dollar is the legal tender. This is also where multiple global fiber optic cables converge to connect the world.

> The Earnings Pipe breaks at Stripe

Unfortunately, the pipeline falters at Stripe. Both Wise and Payoneer welcome our business, but Stripe does not. Thus, it appears the payment processor is the issue.

Over the months, I've sought clarification from Stripe on why my country is deemed unsuitable. Is it a technical issue? No. Is it my country's fault for blocking certain businesses? Or is it merely the company's reluctance? I received no answers from Stripe regarding my inquiries. However, given the local dynamics in my country, I suspect that local authorities may be obstructing initiatives to maintain a controlled monopoly. Consequently, a single intermediary bank dominates PayPal withdrawals, leading to extra fees. I've often stated that monopolies foster mediocrity. The lack of response from Stripe reinforces my suspicions that they might be part of the problem. I hope they include my country before I decide to leave Medium.

Understanding the Wise Option

The company formerly known as TransferWise provides a straightforward and legal method to receive your earnings. By opening an account and activating it, you'll gain access to a local bank account that meets Stripe's requirements. You can transfer your earnings to your own country from your Wise account.

> A $20 deposit is required to gain access to your local account

However, there's a catch: a $20 deposit is now required to activate your dollar account. They also offer Euro accounts, which likely have the same requirement. Fortunately, I avoided depositing anything, as I discovered that Stripe remains the bottleneck.

Exploring the Payoneer Option

Millions of digital nomads utilize Payoneer. Even those in the darkest regions typically manage to open a Payoneer account. For instance, Upwork relies on Payoneer for its payment processing.

Once you earn your first $100 in your Payoneer account, you can apply for their debit card, which facilitates easy access to your funds without incurring high bank transfer fees. The signup and activation process is significantly simpler than Stripe's.

> Beware of inactivity fees!

However, a downside to using Payoneer exists: if you remain inactive for several months and have a balance, they deduct monthly fees, potentially taking your hard-earned money.

Summary

The landscape of Medium and Vocal publishing is divided into three distinct groups:

• Group A: Individuals who seek merely a digital platform to share their articles, irrespective of their location.
• Group B: Writers aiming to earn money and enjoy the benefits of a Partner Program that compensates them, living within the confines of a metaphorical medieval citadel.
• Group C: Aspiring writers who desire to earn but remain deprived of this opportunity, living beyond the citadel's walls, watching their efforts go unrewarded.

If you have fewer than 100 followers, joining the Partner Program may not be worthwhile.

Numerous articles exist from writers in regions where honest freelance income is stifled by various barriers. Some claim to have navigated the system successfully, but much of this guidance is outdated.

As I approached eligibility for the Partner Program, I resolved to address these challenges promptly. I opened a Wise account and reactivated my Payoneer account. While I managed to create a Stripe account that could connect to either Payoneer or Wise, I couldn't activate it due to my cellphone number being registered in a non-qualified country.

Actionable Advice

Currently, there appears to be little indication that Medium or Vocal will introduce a more equitable payment platform, as both rely on Stripe. The same holds true for Stripe; they seem satisfied with their existing reach and are likely uninterested in expanding further. My attempts to get a definitive answer from Stripe have yielded no results. The writing platform "Newsbreak" employs Tipalti as its payment processor, which is approximately 600% more flexible and accessible in 196 countries.

• If you belong to groups A or B, your best option is to remain with either Vocal or Medium.
• If you find yourself in group C, the Third World for writers, your fate resembles that of prey outside the medieval walls. I recommend platforms like Simily, which utilizes PayPal instead of Stripe.

You can anonymously share your views on the matter by participating in a brief survey here at Survey Monkey. Additionally, you may wish to check for updates on this article at the bottom of the page.

Update

At this point, there are countless articles titled "I made a ton of money writing on Medium," "Let’s help each other reach 100 followers (to monetize)," or "How to open a Stripe account in a grey-listed country."

Only a small fraction of Medium writers can monetize their content due to restrictive regulations and choices.

This is the unfortunate reality. I struggle to understand why it is so challenging for honest individuals to earn a little extra, and this platform is not doing much to assist.

Before diving into any of those clickbait articles, be aware of the THREE requirements to be eligible:

• You must have 100 followers. There are thousands of articles urging synergy to achieve this, but…
• You also need to have (or be able to activate) a Standard Stripe account. Currently, this is only feasible for residents of the 46 countries where Stripe operates. And even if you qualify…
• If you meet the first two criteria (a challenging feat for those outside the 46), you must reside in a select list of countries where Medium allows participation in the Partner Program. Unfortunately, you can only qualify in 33 countries.

If you don’t live in any of Medium’s shorter curated list of countries, you can forget about earning even a cent.