AliExpress announced on October 20, 2026 that its affiliate partnership with YouTube now covers the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Brazil. Eligible creators can tag AliExpress products in long-form videos, Shorts and livestreams and earn a commission on qualifying sales. Creators apply through YouTube Studio, and the program started in South Korea in March 2026.
What was announced?
According to the AliExpress press release and trade coverage from InternetRetailing, AliExpress’s catalog is now part of YouTube’s Shopping affiliate program. A creator finds products in YouTube Studio, tags them in a video, and a viewer clicks through from YouTube to buy on AliExpress. The release says creators can also use bestselling and trending product data to pick items.
The categories named are consumer electronics, sports and outdoor, home and living, and lifestyle. AliExpress also points to a “Brand+” selection of products from international and local brands. More countries will follow in phases as YouTube’s affiliate program reaches them.
Who can join?
The announcement says creators must be in a participating market and meet YouTube’s channel and Shopping affiliate requirements, without listing thresholds. YouTube’s help page is more specific. Your channel must be in the YouTube Partner Program and meet its subscriber threshold (the page does not state the number), and you must be based in one of the listed countries, which includes the United States.
Music channels, Official Artist Channels and channels tied to music partners are not eligible. Your channel audience also cannot be set to “Made for Kids,” and it cannot have a significant number of videos set that way.
One more reminder from the help page: the criteria can differ in pilot programs, so what you see in your own Studio account is the final word.
How do you get paid, and when?
Per YouTube’s help page, each brand or retailer sets its own commission rate and attribution window per product, and the rate appears on each offer. You earn when a viewer clicks your tagged product and buys on the retailer’s site. Payment comes through AdSense for YouTube, 60 to 120 days after purchase. Cancellations, full refunds and exchanges during the settlement period can change the amount, and a returned product reverses the commission.
No AliExpress commission rate has been published. Neither the press release nor the coverage we read gives a percentage.
What is still unknown?
- The AliExpress commission rate and payment terms.
- The exact eligibility numbers, such as a minimum subscriber count.
- How products in the Brand+ selection are chosen.
- Results from the South Korea launch.
- Timing for further markets.
- Whether the deal is exclusive. InternetRetailing notes that the release does not say.
What does it change for creators and sellers?
In our assessment, this matters most to creators who already make reviews, comparisons or unboxings of low-priced products, because the tagged product sits next to the video and the path to purchase is short. For sellers on other platforms, nothing changes in fees or rules, but expect more creator content competing for attention in categories like electronics and home goods.
Here is an example of the payment delay, not a forecast. If a tagged purchase happens on December 1, the commission would be paid between about the end of January and the end of March 2027, and it disappears if the buyer returns the item. Anyone counting on this income needs cash to cover the wait.
There is also a rule that catches people out. YouTube’s help page says it is against the terms to send non-YouTube traffic to merchants using your Shopping affiliate links, which includes syndicating links on external sites. Violations can lead to suspension of affiliate features, and your content stops earning commissions. Sponsored or endorsed content still has to follow YouTube’s branded content policies.
What should you do now?
- Open YouTube Studio and check whether the affiliate option appears for your channel.
- If it does, read the program terms before accepting.
- Tag only products you would actually use or test, and tell viewers a commission is involved.
- Check the rate shown on each product, since it varies by item.
For the wider requirements to earn on the platform, read how to monetize a YouTube channel. If you promote products on other platforms too, compare the terms with the Amazon Associates program before you decide where to tag.
