MICO Agency Payout 2026: New Schedule & Tax Guide

What Changed in 2026

Payments moved from Days 10-15 to Days 25-30, creating a 10-15 day delay. This affects thousands of creators relying on predictable income.

Old vs New Timeline:

• Old: Eligibility Day 7, withdrawal Days 8-12, payment Days 10-15
• New: Eligibility Day 14 (11:59 PM), withdrawal Days 15-20, payment Days 25-30
• Processing: Verified streamers Jan 2-5, non-verified Jan 6-8, corrections Jan 9-10

Regional Withdrawal Caps:

• North America: $500-$3,000
• Europe: €400-€2,500
• Asia-Pacific: $300-$2,000
• Latin America: $200-$1,500

For diamond management during this transition, BitTopup provides reliable support with competitive pricing and fast delivery.

Processing Timeline by Payment Method

• GCash: 24-48 hours
• PayPal: 2-3 days
• Bank Transfer: 3 business days
• Optimal Total: 5-12 days
• Maximum: 12-14 days

Tax Verification Requirements

Tax verification determines retention rates: 75% (verified) vs 30-40% (non-verified). This dramatically impacts threshold requirements.

Required Documents:

• Government-issued photo ID (JPG/PNG, max 5MB)
• Proof of address within 90 days (PDF, max 10MB)
• Name must exactly match MICO account

Submission Window: December 20, 2025 - January 10, 2026

Processing Time:

• Verified agencies: 2-5 business days
• Non-verified agencies: 5-7 business days

How to Submit: Navigate to Host Center → Earnings → Verification. Check Performance tab for real-time tracking of hours, active days, streams, and Game Lives.

Common Rejection Causes:

• Blurry photos or cropped images
• Files exceeding size limits
• Name mismatches between ID and account
• Address proof older than 90 days
• Expired IDs

Pro tip: Submit immediately when the December 20 window opens to ensure processing completes before January 10 deadline.

Payout Threshold Structure

Minimum Withdrawal: $50 USD (universal)

Conversion Rate: 286 Income Diamonds = $1 USD

Verified Hosts (75% retention):

• Required: 14,300 Income Diamonds
• Calculation: $50 ÷ 0.75 = $66.67 × 286 = 19,067 total diamonds (14,300 retained)

Non-Verified Hosts (30-40% retention):

• Required: 35,700 Income Diamonds
• Calculation: $50 ÷ 0.35 = $142.86 × 286 = 40,857 total diamonds

Threshold Formula:

• Verified: (USD amount ÷ 0.75) × 286
• Non-Verified: (USD amount ÷ 0.35) × 286

Agency Commission: 75-85% retention for verified status, 50-85% commission rates depending on tier.

Monthly Eligibility Requirements

All metrics reset monthly at midnight account timezone. Must meet ALL requirements by Day 14 at 11:59 PM.

Four Core Metrics:

1. Streaming Hours: 35+ monthly (≈1.2 hours daily, minimum 30 minutes per stream)
2. Active Days: 15+ days (one broadcast per 24-hour period)
3. Regular Streams: 25+ monthly (≈one stream daily)
4. Game Lives: 5+ monthly (interactive gaming content)

Compliance: Fewer than 3 Terms of Service violations

Track progress in Host Center → Performance tab. Check daily during first two weeks to ensure you're on track.

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Financial Planning Strategies

Emergency Fund Calculation: (Monthly Expenses × 1.5) + (Average Monthly Earnings × 0.25) = Minimum Emergency Fund

Target 45-60 days of expenses. Example: $2,000 monthly expenses requires $3,000 buffer.

Cash Flow Tips:

• Build buffer during Dec 2025-Jan 2026 transition
• Separate business and personal accounts
• Set aside 25-30% for taxes
• Diversify income across platforms

Note: 3-month MICO agency account lock and 3-14 day cooling-off period for transfers make alternative income critical.

Agency Manager Checklist

60 Days Before (November 2025):

• Audit host verification status
• Identify at-risk hosts
• Communicate calendar changes
• Develop action plans

30 Days Before (December 2025):

• Distribute tax document checklists
• Schedule verification assistance
• Implement weekly progress tracking
• Establish emergency protocols

Monitoring Dashboard (track weekly):

• Streaming hours vs 35-hour requirement
• Active days vs 15-day requirement
• Regular streams vs 25-stream requirement
• Game Lives vs 5-stream requirement
• Tax verification status
• Income Diamonds vs threshold

Maximizing Diamond Earnings

Peak Hours: 7 PM-11 PM local time, weekend afternoons

Stream Strategy:

• Multiple short sessions (3×40 min) outperform single long streams during off-peak
• Acknowledge gifts immediately by name
• Set gift milestones for collective goals
• Game Lives satisfy requirements while boosting engagement

Threshold Tracking: Use Performance tab for real-time Income Diamonds balance. Intensify schedule in final week before Day 14 if approaching threshold.

Troubleshooting

Payment Delays Beyond Schedule:

Check payment method first:

• GCash: 48+ hours = provider issue
• PayPal: 3+ days = account verification problem
• Bank transfer: 3+ business days = incorrect banking info

Contacting Support (provide):

• Host account ID
• Submission timestamp
• Rejection reason
• Document screenshots
• Corrected documents if resubmitting

Escalation Path: Agency manager → Agency ownership → MICO platform support

Note: Emergency payout requests rarely approved. System operates on automated schedules.

Long-Term Adaptation

Sustainable Habits:

• Treat earnings as business income
• Use accounting software
• Maintain detailed expense records (equipment, internet, software, marketing)
• Consult tax professionals for self-employment income guidance

Future-Proofing:

• Maintain flexible financial models
• Diversify across platforms
• Build 45-60 day expense reserves
• Track policy changes proactively

FAQ

When are payouts processed in 2026? Days 25-30 monthly. Processing: 5-12 days optimal, 12-14 days maximum. Priority: verified Jan 2-5, non-verified Jan 6-8, corrections Jan 9-10. Normalizes March-April 2026.

What tax documents are required? Government-issued photo ID (JPG/PNG, max 5MB) and proof of address within 90 days (PDF, max 10MB). Submit December 20, 2025 - January 10, 2026. Processing: 2-5 days (verified), 5-7 days (non-verified).

What's the minimum payout threshold? $50 USD. Verified hosts: 14,300 Income Diamonds (75% retention). Non-verified: 35,700 Income Diamonds (30-40% retention). Conversion: 286 Income Diamonds = $1 USD.

What are monthly eligibility requirements? 35+ streaming hours, 15+ active days, 25+ regular streams, 5+ Game Lives. Minimum 30 minutes per stream. Fewer than 3 ToS violations. Eligibility check Day 14 at 11:59 PM account timezone.

How long does tax verification take? Verified agencies: 2-5 business days. Non-verified: 5-7 business days. Priority processing Jan 2-5 (verified), Jan 6-8 (non-verified), Jan 9-10 (corrections). Submit when window opens December 20, 2025.

What if I miss the tax verification deadline? Automatic non-verified status: 30-40% retention vs 75%. Threshold increases from 14,300 to 35,700 Income Diamonds for $50 minimum. Late submissions delayed until March-April 2026.

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