Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has officially surpassed 400 million subscribers on YouTube, making him the most-followed individual creator in the platform’s history.
Celebrating the milestone on X (formerly Twitter), the 26-year-old content creator thanked his fans and the platform that launched his career. “400,000,000 subscribers! A decade ago, before I blew up, everyone in my life told me I was too obsessed and constantly told me that I’d never make it,” he shared.
Despite the early doubts, Donaldson said his passion for creating content kept him going. “I was in love with making content and grinded every moment my eyes were open for seven years before anyone started watching,” he wrote, adding that he once told his mom he would rather be homeless than give up on YouTube.
He ended the post by expressing his gratitude: “The greatest gift in life is being able to wake up every day with a purpose, and thanks to YouTube and you guys, I have that. Thanks for 400M.”
MrBeast surpassed major YouTube channels like PewDiePie (110M subscribers) and India’s T-Series (295M subscribers), completing a journey he began publicly pursuing back in 2023 when he declared his goal to beat T-Series.
Donaldson first gained traction in 2017 after his now-famous video counting to 100,000. Since then, he’s become known for over-the-top challenges, massive giveaways, and philanthropy. In 2024, he launched Beast Games on Amazon Prime Video — a competition series inspired by Squid Game, offering a $5 million prize to 1,000 contestants.
However, the show was met with controversy. A lawsuit filed by five contestants alleged unsafe and unfair conditions, claiming a lack of medical care, sleep, and proper pay. MrBeast responded by promising to release behind-the-scenes footage proving the claims were “blown out of proportion.”
Despite the criticism, his influence continues to grow. With 400 million subscribers and counting, MrBeast remains a dominant force in online entertainment.
