Considered the king of YouTube, Jimmy Donaldson—more famously known as Mr. Beast—is an American YouTuber, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. Mr. Beast is recognized for his over-the-top YouTube creations, in which he creates videos featuring stunts that sees enormous sums of money awarded to contestants lucky enough to be a part of the chaotic formula.
Given Mr. Beasts’ status as the highest-paid YouTuber on the planet, fans of the online superstar are keen on knowing his total net worth, and for good reason. According to the YouTube analytics service SocialBlade, it’s estimated that Mr. Beast earns approximately $3 to $5 million per month, although his total net worth is questionable considering the amount of revenue he reinvests back into his creations.
Mr. Beast reportedly invests the majority of his YouTube earnings back into video production, spending as much as $300,000 per video, with some costing well over the million-dollar mark. Take Mr. Beasts’ massively viral Squid Game adaptation, “$456,000 Squid Game In Real Life!” Currently, the video has become Donaldson’s most popular video, amassing nearly 250 million views. Hosted by Donaldson playing as the Game Master, the 25-minute clip features 456 real-life contestants playing the same games as in the fictional Squid Game on sets that closely resemble those from the Netflix show. There’s also a handsome cash prize of $456,000 to the eventual winner, minus the gruesome murders in this version. Donaldson revealed that production cost $3.5 million, the highest cost of any video he’s ever done.
Donaldson’s main YouTube channel, which boasted nearly 95 million subscribers in May 2022, is titled MrBeast. He also runs other YouTube channels, including Beast Reacts, MrBeast Gaming, MrBeast Shorts, and Beast Philanthropy. Each channel combines for a whopping 164 million subscriber count.
Despite earning an absurd $54 million in 2021, MrBeast lives a relatively modest life. Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience #1788, Donaldson divulges his philosophy on money and life. Jimmy states to Rogan, “Why do I need money?” He further explained, “I think living your life chasing like a nicer car, and a bigger and bigger box to live in is kind of like a dumb way to go about life.”
He added that he lived in a below-average home, explaining the sole reason he moved was because “someone broke in and stole everything I owned.”
Despite being widely recognized as the guy who awards super-sized cash giveaways, the King of YouTube offers Rogan insight into just how much capital he reinvests. “I’ve always reinvested back in the channel. Sometimes I’ve run out of money, and I’ve taken a loan.” A stunned Rogan quickly reacts, “why would someone like Mr. Beast need a loan?” Donaldson explained “brand deals can often result in significant financial delays,” adding, “it can be four months before they receive the money.”
For a guy who amasses millions of dollars of revenue per month, it goes to show how much time, energy, and money he willingly invests into each and every creation.
