MrBeast reaches 500 million YouTube subscribers

Jimmy Donaldson, the American YouTuber known as MrBeast, has become the first individual creator in history to surpass 500 million subscribers on the platform. The milestone was achieved on Friday, June 12, 2026, during a live-streamed event watched by hundreds of thousands of fans.

Donaldson was alerted to the impending record while live-streaming as his subscriber count reached 499,999,999. When the counter officially turned over, he celebrated with confetti and an emotional reaction. He told his audience that reaching half a billion subscribers felt statistically improbable given his background. Donaldson recounted growing up in a small town without financial advantages, with both parents having served in the military and the family facing bankruptcy during the 2008 financial crisis. He said he started his channel at age 13 in 2012, initially saving money from advertising revenue to buy basic equipment like a microphone and computer.

His channel, which began with gaming videos and commentary, found viral success with elaborate stunts and has since become known for high-budget productions featuring massive challenges, giveaways, and survival experiments. Donaldson has also...