Social media is a lucrative gig for the most successful stars, but YouTuber MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson) took it to a whole new level. The 28-year-old recently made history as YouTube's first-ever billionaire, with an estimated fortune of $2.6 billion (£1.9bn).

Donaldson began posting videos on YouTube in 2012 at just 13 years old, initially focusing on gaming content. His channel exploded in popularity when he pivoted to challenge videos, outrageous stunts, and headline-grabbing giveaways. He’s now behind the most successful channel on YouTube, with over 442 million subscribers.

He’s also found fame (and money) beyond YouTube. In 2024, he signed a $100 million (£74m) content deal with Amazon Prime Video to launch a reality competition series called Beast Games.

The majority of his fortune comes from his stake in Beast Industries. The holding company, valued at an eye-watering $5.2 billion (£4bn), oversees his business empire, including his social media accounts and side hustles such as his snack brand Feastables and fast food concept MrBeast Burger.

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