Instagram is creating its very own pantheon of the blessed. (Beckenbauer/Getty) Instagram launched Instagram Rings, an awards program celebrating creators who are shaping culture on and off the platform — and getting a (literal) ring to show for it.
Eschewing categories, or even follower thresholds, Rings is framed as a curated honor for creative impact. Winners are sent a gold-toned physical ring, designed by Grace Wales Bonner, and a unique digital ring that encircles their profile photo when they put up Stories.
What Instagram Rings Is and How the Honor Is Defined
The first class comprises 25 creators chosen by a mix of platform leadership and cultural figures. Facebook’s Adam Mosseri, director Spike Lee, tech creator Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) and rugby professional Ilona Maher feature in the video.
Instagram says Rings celebrates creators driving conversations forward — people who try new things, who take risks for the benefit of pushing culture forward, that set trends rather than just following them. The criteria are intentionally vague, in stark contrast to the metric-based awards one might find elsewhere in the creator economy.
And in addition to the physical jewelry, winners receive app flair: a special gold ring animation on their avatars across Instagram Stories, as well as the ability to customize profile backgrounds and add some sparkle next to the like button. Instagram hasn’t specified exactly what those customizations will look like, which leaves room for iteration.
Why Instagram Is Doing This and What It Hopes to Achieve
The shift comes as Instagram doubles down on video and creator retention. The company has experimented with an app experience that opens right to Reels in a handful of markets, and the iPad app now defaults to Reels. On recent earnings calls, Meta has stated that Reels has helped drive double-digit increases in time spent across its apps.
Awards are also a strong signal in an increasingly crowded platform landscape. With more than two billion monthly users, by industry estimates, Instagram is competing for creator loyalty against not only YouTube but also TikTok. Recognition itself — especially a rare, judge-curated badge of it — can be as much an incentive as either revenue share or bonus.
How It Stacks Up Against Other Creator Honors
YouTube Creator Awards are also milestone awards, with Silver, Gold and Diamond Play Buttons being awarded at subscriber milestones. TikTok operates region-specific creator awards, and has tested funds, while Snapchat’s Spotlight pays out to viral clip spotlighters. Rings is an exception: It values influence and originality over the numbers that fuel it, and it deliberately inhabits Instagram’s interface.
The collaboration with Wales Bonner, a fashion designer adept at refined minimalism and already in the middle of a long partnership with Adidas, lends both fashion cachet and a physical collectible that goes beyond the app. It’s a deliberate homage to the championship ring tradition from sports, translated for the digital age.
What It Means for Creators and Brands on Instagram
For creators, Rings could offer something beyond bragging rights. Even minor interface treatments — like a golden story border — may elevate visibility and leverage social proof. And anticipate that recipients will use the honor in media kits and brand pitches; agencies, too, will approach Rings as a trust signal of taste and cultural resonance.
The program will be, of course, the subject of controversy. In the absence of clear criteria, there will be some who ask who is getting recognized and why. But that lack — and talk — is the point; awards that seem earned — rather than acquired — tend to have more lasting prestige.
The Bigger Platform Strategy Behind Instagram Rings
Instagram has spent the last several years tuning discovery with AI recommendations, reinforcing short-form video habits and expanding monetization through subscriptions and creator marketplaces. Rings functions as a soft-power layer on top of those tools, pushing up the creators who embody the aesthetics and habits that Instagram hopes to elevate.
Onlookers will be watching for follow-through: Will Rings become yearly and expand to regions or genres, or will it trigger various kinds of perks like priority support or early access to particular features? According to reports in Engadget, Instagram will showcase the inaugural class for public consumption, turning it into a content moment of its own.
If Instagram can connect recognition with concrete benefits — and the judging panel can stay culturally relevant — Rings might go from being a victory-lap trophy to something like a career milestone, similar to YouTube’s plaques. For a platform doubling down on video and creative identity, it is also a well-timed bet on status as a growth engine.
