MrBeast

Jimmy Donaldson, known online as MrBeast, was born on 7 May 1998 in Wichita, Kansas [2]. In June 2026 his channel passed 500 million subscribers, and YouTube called him the first individual creator to reach that number [1]. This page covers how a boy from North Carolina built that audience, what he has built around it, and where the public numbers are less clear than they look.

Early life in Greenville

He was born in Wichita but was primarily raised in Greenville, North Carolina [10]. He moved often as a child and was frequently cared for by au pairs. His parents divorced in 2007 [10]. He graduated from Greenville Christian Academy in 2016, then enrolled at East Carolina University and dropped out after two weeks [10].

First uploads and the climb to the top

He started posting videos on YouTube at the age of 13, in early 2012 [11]. Britannica describes his work as built on large-scale challenges, massive giveaways and high-budget philanthropic stunts [2]. In November 2022 he became the most-subscribed individual creator on YouTube. In June 2024 his channel became the most-subscribed channel on the platform [1].

The 500 million milestone also came with a bigger audience than the subscriber count suggests. Adweek, citing Beast Industries chief executive Jeff Housenbold, put his reach at about 1.3 billion unique viewers each quarter. It said roughly 80% of those viewers are outside the United States, and that his most-viewed video is approaching 950 million views [3]. Those are company figures relayed by a trade publication, so they are best read as the company's own account.

Giving away money on camera

To celebrate 20 million subscribers, he launched #TeamTrees. It raised over $25 million for a campaign that aimed to plant more than 25 million trees [1]. The follow-up, #TeamSeas, raised more than $30 million for ocean and beach cleanup [1]. In 2025 he ran #TeamWater with Mark Rober. It drew creators from 115 countries and raised about $40 million for WaterAid [1].

His competitions follow the same logic. The video '50 YouTubers Fight for $1,000,000' treated the platform like a multiplayer game. Its April 2026 livestreamed sequel, '50 Streamers Fight for $1,000,000', did the same with a wider field of creators [1].

Feastables and the snack business

Donaldson introduced Feastables in January 2022, starting with MrBeast Bar chocolates in three flavors. Business Insider reported that the brand had made over $10 million in sales since its launch in January [14].

The brand's own About page describes it as a better-for-you snack company. It says its mission is to eradicate child labor in the cocoa industry, that its cocoa is 100% Fairtrade certified, and that farmers are paid the living income reference price or the market price, whichever is higher [9]. Those are company claims. The page itself does not give a founding year or a revenue figure, so the $10 million number rests on Business Insider's reporting [14].

Beast Industries and the 2026 investment

Fortune calls Donaldson's business a diversified entertainment empire [13]. Bitmine's announcement describes Beast Industries as an entertainment, consumer products and CPG company [12]. Its CEO, Jeff Housenbold, is named in the Adweek coverage of the 500 million milestone [3].

In January 2026 Bitmine Immersion Technologies, led by chairman Tom Lee, agreed to invest $200 million in Beast Industries [5]. Lee said that MrBeast and Beast Industries were, in his view, the leading content creator of their generation [5]. Fortune reports, citing Bloomberg, that Beast Industries raised money at a roughly $5 billion valuation [13]. DL News says the valuation was not disclosed [5]. The $5 billion figure should therefore be read as reported, not confirmed.

Beast Games on Prime Video

MrBeast hosts Beast Games and co-created it [8]. The first season was released on Amazon Prime Video on 19 December 2024 [8].

Amazon said the show became Prime Video's most-watched unscripted series, reaching 50 million viewers 25 days after its premiere [8]. On 12 May 2025, during Amazon's upfront presentation in New York, Prime Video renewed it for two more seasons [8]. Vernon Sanders, Amazon MGM Studios' head of television, called it 'the largest reality competition series ever' [8].

Net worth: the number and what sits behind it

The figure most people search for is his net worth. Fortune reported in January 2026 that, through his assets, Donaldson is projected to be worth at least $2.6 billion [4]. The article does not attribute that figure to a named estimator, and it gives no as-of date for it [4]. Forbes has separately estimated his annual earnings at $85 million for the period from April 2024 to April 2025 [4]. Earnings and net worth measure different things, so the two numbers should not be combined.

The same Fortune piece quotes Donaldson on his cash position. He told the Wall Street Journal, 'I'm borrowing money. That's how little money I have,' and said, 'I have negative money right now' [4]. He has said he keeps less than $1 million for himself and attributes his low personal cash to reinvesting in his businesses [4].

The 2026 wedding

MrBeast married Thea Booysen in 2026 [7]. On 11 July 2026 he posted that he 'may or may not be getting married' [6]. He confirmed the marriage on 21 July with wedding photos, captioned 'Mr and MrsBeast' [6].

Malay Mail reports that the ceremony took place on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, with 70 friends and family present. It says there were no livestreams or YouTube cameras, only a professional wedding photographer [7]. The same report describes Booysen as a South African gamer, author and content creator [7]. Dexerto reports that the couple announced their engagement after he proposed on Christmas Day 2024 [6].

What is still open

Three numbers in this story come from different measures and should not be merged: 500 million subscribers as a platform count, roughly $2.6 billion as a projected asset figure without a named estimator, and $85 million in annual earnings as an estimate for a fixed year. The $5 billion valuation for Beast Industries is reported by Fortune, citing Bloomberg, but not confirmed by DL News [13] [5]. Readers who need a current net worth should look for a named estimate with a date.