The digital influencer economy has never been more powerful – or more profitable. Whether they're selling merchandise, locking in exclusive deals, or launching business empires, these social media stars are building lucrative careers. But who comes out on top? 

We’ve used official data from Forbes, where reliable 2025 earnings estimates are available, to bring you a definitive list of the most moneyed social media giants this year.

Read on as we reveal the 10 highest-paid social media stars of 2025 and break down how they turned likes, streams, and followers into serious paydays...

All dollar values in US dollars.

Druski (real name Drew Desbordes) takes the number 10 spot. The comedian won over Gen Z and millennials with his relatable skits across TikTok and Instagram, and it wasn't long before brands bought into the hype too. Over the past few years, he’s partnered with Google, Nike, and Beats by Dre. 

Away from his content and brand partnerships, Druski has become a go-to collaborator for major music artists like Drake and Jack Harlow. He's even leveraged his viral success to headline his own comedy tours. 

In 2025, Druski is estimated to earn around $14 million (£11.4m), according to Forbes, thanks to a mix of social content, live shows, sponsorships, and merch. But it's not all good news for the star; earlier this year, he was added to the amended assault lawsuit tied to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Variety reports. The comedian vigorously denied the allegations and has been cleared of all charges.

Next on the list is Khaby Lame. Dubbed TikTok’s 'silent king', the once-unemployed factory worker skyrocketed to fame in late 2020 after his wordless reaction videos went viral on the short-form video platform. Fast forward to 2025, and the Senegalese-born star is the most-followed person on TikTok with 162 million fans and an enormous 2.5 billion likes.

He’s also been savvy behind the scenes, securing licensing deals, commercial endorsements, and even expanding into TV and fashion collaborations. At just 25 years old, the social media star has already been listed in Fortune's 40 Under 40 and Forbes' 30 Under 30. He reportedly rakes in up to $750,000 (around £600k) for a single branded TikTok post, according to Forbes in 2023.

Between April 2024 and April 2025, Lame earned an impressive $20 million (£16m), placing him at number nine on our influencer rankings. The haul reflects not just his viral content but also smart partnerships with brands including Hugo Boss, Google, and QNR (Qatar National Bank). 

Despite his fortune, the humble millionaire, who grew up in government housing outside Turin, Italy has spent much of this year expanding his philanthropic efforts. He's recently become a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund) to help children and young people in Senegal. 

Charli D’Amelio became a millionaire at just 16, so it’s no shock she’s landed on this list. Now 21, the TikTok dance-queen-turned-business powerhouse is the youngest name in the top 10, but easily one of the savviest. As well as commanding massive brand deals with names like Prada, Amazon, and Dunkin’, D'Amelio co-founded D’Amelio Brands alongside her family, launching product lines in fashion, skincare, and homeware.

If that wasn’t enough, she's also dipped her toes into acting and voiceover work, including animated features and streaming series.

Forbes estimates that Charli D’Amelio will earn roughly $23.5 million (£18.9m) in 2025, matching her impressive earnings from 2024 and defining her as one of the richest social media stars out there. Looking ahead, she's also branching out into Hollywood, landing a starring role in Hurry Up Tomorrow – a high-profile psychological thriller produced by The Weeknd, which is set to hit cinemas in 2025. 

Who said social media influencers aren’t smart? The former NASA engineer, who once worked on the Mars Rover, swapped space missions for YouTube experiments and quickly built a genius-fuelled juggernaut of a content empire. His viral videos, which range from glitter bomb traps to world-record water balloon drops, have raked in well over 12 billion views combined. 

But his brainy brilliance doesn't stop there. In 2022, he officially launched his STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) education company, CrunchLabs, which provides science resources to people around the world.

In 2025, Rober is set to earn an estimated $25 million (£20.3m), according to Forbes. This was a combination of YouTube ad revenue, branded sponsorships, product collaborations, and sold-out online science classes via his CrunchLabs platform. He’s also launched kids’ engineering kits and co-hosted Discovery’s MythBusters Jr., solidifying his position as the internet’s favourite science teacher (move over Bill Nye).

Finally, Rober recently announced a multi-year global licensing deal with Mouse Toys, with both brands set to co-develop an exciting new toy line, scheduled for a 2026 release.

The podcast host-turned-business mogul launched her flagship show, Call Her Daddy, in 2018. The candid podcast providing unfiltered advice began as a quirky two‑person show but soon exploded into a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of loyal listeners and making Cooper Spotify’s highest‑paid female podcaster after signing a $60 million (£48m) three‑year deal in 2021. 

Despite a public split with her co-host in 2020, Cooper continued the podcast solo, steadily attracting an array of awe-inspiring guests, including Paris Hilton and Christina Aguilera. In 2023, she also launched her media entertainment company, The Unwell Network, which she co-founded with her fiancé, Matt Kaplan of ACE Entertainment.

In 2024, Cooper landed a $125 million (£100m) three‑year deal with SiriusXM to bring her flagship show and the newly launched Unwell Network under the same banner. Since then, her fortune has continued to grow. She’s collaborated with major brands like Skims and Jimmy Choo, launched money-making merch drops, and taken Call Her Daddy on sold-out live tours.

Most recently, she entered the wellness space with Unwell Hydration, a lifestyle drink brand that was initially launched as a Target exclusive in January but is now expanding to other outlets across the US. 

Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal first started uploading quirky videos in the mid-2000s, but their breakthrough came in 2012 with Good Mythical Morning (GMM), a daily YouTube variety show that now boasts around 19 million subscribers and over 10 billion views.

Soon after, under their Mythical Entertainment umbrella, they expanded into spin-offs like Mythical Kitchen, podcasts (Ear Biscuits), sketch channels (Mythical Bits), and mainstream content such as their Hulu FAST channel.

Financially, their empire is impressive. Forbes estimates their annual earnings at around $36 million (£28.9m). The bulk of their fortune is driven by ad revenue, sponsorships, live events, merch, and investment in other creators through Mythical Ventures.

In 2019, the pair astutely acquired and revitalised the popular YouTube channel, Smosh, after its parent company Defy Media shuttered. They eventually sold a majority of their stake in 2023, while retaining partial ownership and receiving a generous return. 

Love him or loathe him, Paul has proved that you can propel yourself toward any business venture while monetising controversy along the way – provided you have a good PR. What began as teenage antics on the now-defunct video-sharing platform Vine quickly escalated into million-view YouTube pranks, music, and brand partnerships. 

In 2018, the polarising millionaire stepped into the boxing ring, and the money hasn’t stopped rolling in since. In 2024, his headline fight with Mike Tyson reportedly scored him a staggering $40 million (£30m) as both the star and the promoter. That's twice what Tyson took home, according to Forbes.

At the same time, Jake’s YouTube channel still brings in serious ad revenue from over 20 million subscribers and 7.7 billion views. Between social content, boxing, startups, and media ventures, his total earnings for 2025 are estimated at $50 million (£40.6m).

Later this year, Paul and his brother Logan will star in HBO’s new reality series Paul American, offering fans a front-row seat to their chaotic personal lives.  We won't be surprised to see him further climb the ranks of the world’s wealthiest social media stars in the future. 

While most names on this list went from TikTok to the stage, Matt Rife did it the old-school way: grinding it out in clubs for years before blowing up online. The 29-year-old struck gold when his razor-sharp crowdwork clips lit up TikTok and Instagram, with millions tuning in to see his quick-witted takedowns of hecklers. 

His viral success has only served as a springboard for his budding career, leading to multiple Netflix specials and a world tour spanning North America, Europe, and Australia. 

In 2025, Forbes has pegged Rife’s earnings at a staggering $50 million (£40.6m), making him one of the highest-paid creators of the year. A chunk of that came from his massive international tour, which saw the comedian sell out the 17,500-capacity Hollywood Bowl. However, streaming, podcast appearances, and commercial partnerships all played a role too.

At 41, Dhar Mann might be one of the oldest on the Forbes Top Creators list, but he’s also one of the most productive. The former real estate agent pumps out videos almost daily from his cutting-edge Los Angeles studio, which is run by over 150 staff members. His content takes the form of short, viral life-lesson dramas that his 23 million YouTube subscribers continue to eat up.

His rise to fame has not been without controversy, though. In 2023, employees of his LA studio protested over poor working conditions and inadequate pay. Mann released a statement disputing the claims.

In 2025, he’s pulling in a reported $56 million (£45.1m), up from $45 million (£39m) in 2024. His growing wealth is largely aided by his channel, which generates substantial YouTube ad revenue and helps secure sponsorship deals from global powerhouse brands such as WhatsApp, Universal, and SocialPoint.

But he's not stopping there; he’s recently branched out with LiveGlam, a cosmetics subscription service, and runs 5th Quarter Agency, which identifies and develops content creators behind the scenes.

Known for giving away money like sweets at Halloween and staging outlandish stunts such as surviving 50 hours in solitary confinement, MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) has amassed a mammoth 400 million YouTube subscribers, with some of his videos surpassing 500 million views. 

Donaldson has used YouTube as a mere launchpad for his many business ventures, including profitable brands such as Feastables and Beast Burger. He also runs uber-successful merchandise lines and signed a reported nine-figure deal with Amazon for his reality competition series, Beast Games, which has recently been greenlit for two new seasons.

In 2025, Donaldson is poised for another profitable year. Forbes has valued his annual earnings at a jaw-dropping $85 million (£68.5m), and he's steering towards a potential $5 billion (£3.95bn) valuation for his company thanks to fresh investment and funding. 

But not everything’s smooth sailing. A class-action lawsuit was filed by contestants on Beast Games in September 2024, alleging harassment, underfeeding, lack of medical care, and exhaustion on set. A formal hearing date hasn’t been announced yet, but the costly investigation could have major impacts on the future of the show, not to mention Donaldson's public image.

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