The world's number 1 YouTuber enters fintech: A billion-dollar game or a chicken-herding trick?

(Dan Tri) - From making money-making videos, MrBeast has now entered fintech and cryptocurrency, raising the question: Is he opening up a new financial future or just following a risky trend?

Jimmy Donaldson, better known to the world as MrBeast, is no longer just an internet sensation.

At 27, with over 445 million followers and a business empire valued at $5 billion, he is making a leap that could reshape the future of the creative industry: into finance and cryptocurrencies.

The shocking news comes from a trademark application filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on October 13 for the name “MrBeast Financial.” Not a spur-of-the-moment idea, this is a strategic piece in a larger plan, revealing the ambition to turn a huge influence into a comprehensive business ecosystem.

Blueprint of "MrBeast Financial"

According to the trademark application, “MrBeast Financial” is more than just a regular banking app. The listed services include a complete financial ecosystem, from online banking, investment consulting to the hottest services today such as cryptocurrency exchanges, crypto payment processing and trading on decentralized exchanges (DEXs).

This information completely coincides with a 2025 fundraising presentation obtained by Business Insider. MrBeast's plan is to launch a fintech platform "tailored" for his huge fan base.

The document outlines nine potential products, including practical solutions like student loans, insurance and credit analysis, along with financial education content.

Donaldson's strategy is clever: instead of building from scratch and facing the legal maze, the company plans to partner with an existing fintech business to leverage infrastructure and minimize risk.

It’s a logical but risky move. “It’s extremely rare for a content creator to get into banking,” says trademark attorney Josh Gerben. “When you’re dealing with other people’s money, you’re putting your entire brand reputation at risk.”

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has built a $5 billion empire through philanthropic content and is now venturing into finance and cryptocurrencies (Photo: Getty).

A boost for the crypto market?

The emergence of MrBeast in the cryptocurrency space could be a seismic event. The crypto industry, after a long winter and scandals, is still struggling to regain trust and attract mainstream users.

Now imagine a global influencer, someone hundreds of millions of teenagers trust and admire, introducing them to bitcoin, ethereum or decentralized exchanges. MrBeast’s involvement could be the biggest “push” yet, bringing millions of new users into the market, creating an unprecedented wave of crypto adoption.

This isn’t MrBeast’s first foray into fintech. In 2024, financial firm MoneyLion sponsored his show Beast Games for $4.2 million. This latest move shows a deep and calculated interest.

The $5 billion empire and the financial paradox

To understand this move, it is necessary to look at the big picture of Beast Industries - MrBeast's parent company. This is an empire built on a unique model, that is "altruistic capitalism".

His videos are not just entertaining challenges, but also large-scale charity campaigns: building 100 clean water wells in Africa, funding surgeries for the blind, cleaning up polluted beaches. His nonprofit, Beast Philanthropy, has given away hundreds of millions of dollars in aid. Beast Industries CEO Jeffrey Housenbold, a former Silicon Valley executive, calls it a strategy of “spreading kindness.”

But behind that generosity lies a complex financial problem. According to Bloomberg, despite media revenue reaching $250 million in 2024, the company still lost nearly $80 million. The main reason is huge production costs, typically the reality show "Beast Games" on Amazon Prime with a production budget of more than $100 million for a $10 million prize. Donaldson himself admitted: "It was not a good financial decision."

The bright spot is the consumer business. The Feastables chocolate brand, launched in 2022, has made more than $20 million in profits and is available in the largest retail chains in the US. This shows that MrBeast’s diversification strategy is working: using the product business to offset losses and fund ambitious content projects.

Risks and the Way Forward

Despite being a billionaire on paper with an estimated net worth of $85 million earned over the past year, Donaldson revealed that he holds almost no cash and reinvests everything back into the company, showing a strong belief in the long-term vision.

His empire has faced its share of controversies, from a lawsuit over "dangerous filming conditions" in "Beast Games" to debates over the true motives behind his charity videos. Penn State University professor Bill Zimmerman says the model of growth based on increasingly extreme challenges has its limits and could turn off some audiences.

Entering the financial industry, where trust is a key factor, will be the biggest test for MrBeast's brand. Any mistake, no matter how small, could destroy the image he has spent a decade building.

But if successful, MrBeast would not only create a huge new revenue stream, but also pioneer a new trend: content creators becoming multi-industry conglomerates, directly competing with traditional institutions.

From a teenager counting to 100,000 in a video, Jimmy Donaldson is on his way to becoming a force to be reckoned with in both entertainment and business.

As he himself once shared: "A world where I help others is much happier than a world where I don't." Now, he wants to turn that philosophy into a sustainable business model, and "MrBeast Financial" is the most ambitious move on that chessboard.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/youtuber-so-1-the-gioi-lan-san-fintech-cuoc-choi-ty-usd-hay-chieu-lua-ga-20251016133623292.htm