It's no secret that the most popular YouTubers out there make a lot of money. This income tends to spring from both the social media platform itself, and any other sponsorship deals and brand partnerships that might come from their fame and influence. Nice work if you can get it.
But while some of the most well-known and longest-running content creators like PewDiePie, Mr Beast, and Markiplier enjoy substantial monetary gain as a result of their stratospheric careers, none of them come close to the highest-paid YouTuber... a nine-year-old boy who's made a massive name - and brand - for himself by reviewing toys.
A recently released list from Forbes has revealed the biggest earners on YouTube for 2020. It's a fascinating read, confirming that Mr Beast came in second this year with 3 billion views and an eye-watering $24 million in earnings. As impressive as that might be, however, it pales in comparison to the money Ryan Kaji has made through Ryan's World, a channel focused on toy reviews, unboxing, and other slice-of-life videos involving his family.
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Let's be honest, you've probably heard of the kid even if you've never watched a single one of his videos in your life. According to Forbes, Kaji has made just shy of $30 million this year on YouTube alone, raking in an incredible 12.2 billion video views. This doesn't even factor in his Ryan's World line of branded merchandise, which encompasses everything from toothpaste and toys to backpacks and video games. That's estimated to have done somewhere in the region of $200 million in sales last year.
As if that wasn't enough, he even has a Nickelodeon series called Ryan's Mystery Playdate, all of which contributes to the mega brand that seems to be the face of this one nine-year-old boy. You have to wonder how much pressure that puts on the kid, don't you? I can only hope he's enjoying himself as much as his many videos seem to suggest.
This is actually Kaji's third year at the top of the pile, once again beating out many YouTubers who've been around for a heck of a lot longer. Then again, Kaji offers a much more "family friendly" vibe than the likes of PewDiePie and Mr Beast, so perhaps his continued domination isn't that surprising at all as more families choose to gather round YouTube for their entertainment. I suspect Ryan's World won't be slowing down any time soon.
Featured Image Credit: YouTube