> At a Glance
> – Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson tops Forbes’ 2025 highest-paid creator list at $85 million
> – Chocolate brand Feastables now out-earns his videos, pulling in $250 million in sales last year
> – Despite a $2.5 billion on-paper valuation, he keeps <$1 million in his personal bank account
> – Why it matters: The gap between headline revenue and actual cash shows how today’s creator economy prioritizes reinvestment over personal wealth
He’s the planet’s top YouTuber, commands 600 million followers, and just banked $85 million in a single year-yet MrBeast still insists he’s “not rich.” The reason? Every dollar circles straight back into bigger videos, bigger bets, and snack-aisle domination.
The $85 Million Year
**Forbes crowned the 26-year-old highest-paid content creator for 2025, citing the $85 million haul. His sprawling Beast Industries empire pulled in $400 million revenue in 2024, though heavy production costs kept the company from logging a profit.
Most of that windfall didn’t come from ad splits or sponsor plugs. Instead, it flowed from brightly wrapped chocolate bars:
- Feastables sold $250 million worth of ethically sourced snacks in 2024
- The brand cleared $20 million in profit-its first cash-positive year
- In contrast, his media arm lost roughly $80 million, partly because Beast Games blew past its $100 million budget
From Viral Videos to Supermarket Shelves
Launched in 2022, Feastables now sits beside legacy candy giants. MrBeast told lawyers in a November 2024 deposition that he obsesses over “product quality” and store placement to “delight customers.” The strategy appears to be working: grocery checkouts have become a second, steadier income stream than YouTube’s algorithm.
The Billionaire Who’s Cash-Poor
Court filings show MrBeast owns “a little over half” of Beast Industries, last valued near $5 billion. Simple math lands his stake around $2.5 billion, technically making him a billionaire. The catch? He draws only enough salary to cover monthly living expenses and staff payroll.
> “On paper, yeah,” he told The Diary of a CEO in February 2025. “But in my actual bank account, I have less than $1 million.”
Giving It Away
Philanthropy remains part of the brand engine. Through Beast Philanthropy, he has funneled:
- $5 million to Ukrainian refugees
- $300 million in meals
- $500 million in school supplies and tech
- 100 cleft-palate surgeries, 600 e-bikes, and 2 000 prosthetics
His main channel also auto-transfers $100 000 each month to the nonprofit, bankrolling videos where giveaways, not pranks, drive views.
Key Takeaways
- Feastables is now MrBeast’s profit engine, not YouTube ads
- He reinvests almost every dollar, keeping personal cash below seven figures
- Court documents value his company stake at $2.5 billion, but liquidity is near zero
- Philanthropic content doubles as marketing, netting billions of views while funding global aid
The model is clear: keep the money moving, keep the cameras rolling, and let the chocolate pay the bills.
