Monetization on X rewards high-engagement content, and visuals like GIFs are a low-effort way to hit those metrics—especially with creator payouts based on verified interactions. Tools have also gotten simpler: apps like Giphy integrate directly, and X now auto-converts short videos to GIF-like loops for Premium users. Web3 projects and brands are leaning in too, using GIFs for branding (e.g., NFT collections dropping animated assets to build identity). No major policy change in November 2025 triggered this, but the cumulative effect of these features has made GIFs feel more ubiquitous lately. - Grok