MrBeast's secret $1 billion property empire revealed

News.com.au

2 days ago

MrBeast revealed he's borrowing money from his mum to pay for his upcoming wedding to Thea Booysen despite his billionaire status and owning a slew of properties.
According to Page Six, the YouTuber, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, responded via X after a fan post described him as 'the only billionaire under 30 to not have inherited his wealth.'
'I personally have very little money because I reinvest everything (I think this year we'll spend around a quarter of a billion on content),' he wrote.
'Ironically I'm actually borrowing $ from my mom [sic] to pay for my upcoming wedding lol,' Donaldson, 27, continued.
'But sure, on paper the businesses I own are worth a lot.'
The content creator — who has more than 400 million subscribers — rose to fame on YouTube by sharing over-the-top stunts and challenges.
He has also garnered popularity with his fan giveaways, offering up luxurious gifts like cars.
Donaldson expanded his fanbase when he released Season 1 of 'Beast Games' on Prime Video in December 2024.
During the competition series, one out of 1,000 participants took home $US10 million.
The show, which garnered 50 million views within 25 days of its release, has already been renewed for two more seasons, per Variety.
Donaldson also owns Feastables chocolate and snack brand, as well as the MrBeast Lab toy line.
The entrepreneur is believed to be the first ever YouTube billionaire, earning around $US250,000 (A$385,630) a day or $US83 million a year.
Despite being worth an estimated $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion), Donaldson lives in a no-bedroom studio apartment and doubles as his office in his hometown of Greenville, North Carolina.
The bed is located in the corner of the living room with a couch, a TV, and a coffee table. Other areas in the home include a bathroom and a closet.
The humble property features a gallery of awards from YouTube and framed photos of Apple founder Steve Jobs adorning the walls.
Donaldson previously spoke about his decision to live a frugal lifestyle on the TMG podcast.
'I think one of the traps of modern humans is just living a materialistic life and just chasing s**t non-stop. For what? Why does it matter?,' he said.
'We just chase bigger and bigger boxes to live in, faster and faster cars. Why? Why not just skip all that and do fun s**t?'
'If you have a $10 million mansion and five Lamborghinis and all this s**t then you have to, like, worry, like, 'Oh s**t, if things fall apart I can't afford my lifestyle.' I don't give a f**k, I live in a dorm room.
'My s**t could fall apart tomorrow and my lifestyle doesn't change.
'So there's also a lot of peace of mind with that, because I don't have to maintain anything.'
Although he chooses to live in his no-bed home, Donaldson has amassed quite a property portfolio in North Carolina.
He snapped up a neighbourhood for himself, his family and his employees after buying five houses in a cul-de-sac in Greenville.
Donaldson bought a two-storey four-bedroom property on the street in 2018 for around $US320,000.
Over the years, Donaldson reportedly purchased the houses off-market.