Forbes unveiled its 2026 Top Creators List at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, with the ranking’s 50 highest-earning social media stars collectively generating $1.02 billion for the first time in the list’s five-year history.

The total represents a 20% increase from $853 million in 2025 and an 80% rise from the $570 million reported when Forbes debuted the list in 2022. The combined follower count across the 50 creators reached 3.6 billion, up 7% from 3.37 billion the prior year.

MrBeast Retains the Top Spot

YouTuber and entrepreneur Jimmy Donaldson, known as “MrBeast,” held the number one position for the fifth consecutive year, reporting earnings of $300 million. His channels carry more than 640 million subscribers and generate more than 5 billion views annually. His holding company, Beast Industries, encompasses media, food products, an analytics tool, and licensing operations, and has reportedly received venture investment at a $5 billion valuation.

The second and third spots went to scripted content creator Dhar Mann at $65 million and podcast host Steven Bartlett at $52 million.

Creator Expansion Into Film and Streaming

Several list members have moved into film and streaming production. Two creator-produced films generated notable box office results in the period covered: “Backrooms,” based on Kane Parsons’ horror web series, carried a $10 million budget and grossed more than $260 million. “Obsession,” written and directed by sketch comedy creator Curry Barker, carried a $750,000 budget and grossed more than $290 million.

On the streaming side, Mark Rober and Ms. Rachel brought educational programming to Netflix. MrBeast launched the second season of “Beast Games” on Amazon Prime, with a third season in production. Dhar Mann entered a deal with Fox Entertainment to produce 40 vertical dramas over 18 months.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks and former chairman of Walt Disney Studios, described Mann’s production model: “It’s a 21st-century studio. He’s taken every old-school aspect of great storytelling and reconceived it for a new audience on a new platform.”

Brand Partnerships and Owned Products

Brand deals and proprietary product lines appear across the list. Creators have launched skincare brands, food products, fitness programs, financial media companies, and apparel lines, with several achieving retail distribution at chains including Target, Walmart, and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“Creators continue to harness their communities, creativity, and a bold entrepreneurial spirit to steer the direction of media, entertainment, and advertising,” said Steven Bertoni, Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes. “By crossing the $1 billion mark in collective earnings, the Forbes Top Creator honorees demonstrate how social media stars now define the media landscape, building global audiences, launching influential businesses, and shaping the future of show business.”

Ranking Methodology

Forbes estimates each creator’s gross earnings between March 2025 and March 2026, counting income rather than equity held in public or private companies. The ranking factors in earnings, entrepreneurship, and clout, with clout calculated as a combination of follower count and engagement ratio. For the entrepreneurship score, Forbes rates creators on a scale of one to four: a score of one reflects a creator who generates income primarily through brand partnerships, while a score of four reflects a creator who builds independent companies, brands, and services.

Cannes Lions Activation

Forbes announced the list at Cannes Lions in partnership with Lowe’s Creator Network. At the event, Lowe’s introduced a new program called “Into the Blue,” which invites creators to pitch product ideas for potential retail distribution. Applications are open through September 1, 2026, at Lowes.com/CreateWithLowes. A selection of list makers will also appear on OUTFRONT digital billboards across the country.

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