---
title: "MrBeast buzz risks being new media’s old story"
description: "In a classic case of \"cash me if you can,\" YouTube's MrBeast is looking to raise $200 million to fuel his $5 billion empire, proving that even the king of viral giveaways knows the real prize is securing a seat at the media mogul table—just hope he doesn’t end up in the same dumpster as BuzzFeed and Vice."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "MRBEAST'S RISKY BET"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-02-mrbeast-buzz-risks-being-new-medias-old-story/"
published: "2025-03-02T22:24:58"
updated: "2025-03-03T16:46:50"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 489
---

# MrBeast buzz risks being new media’s old story

> In a classic case of "cash me if you can," YouTube's MrBeast is looking to raise $200 million to fuel his $5 billion empire, proving that even the king of viral giveaways knows the real prize is securing a seat at the media mogul table—just hope he doesn’t end up in the same dumpster as BuzzFeed and Vice.

By Reuters · Published 3 March 2025, 00:24 SAST · Updated 3 March 2025, 18:46 SAST

## Key points
- In a classic case of "cash me if you can," YouTube's MrBeast is looking to raise $200 million to fuel his $5 billion empire, proving that even the king of viral giveaways knows the real prize is securing a seat at the media mogul table—just hope he doesn’t end up in the same dumpster as BuzzFeed and Vice.
- YouTube sensation MrBeast aims to raise $200 million, eyeing a staggering $5 billion valuation for his entertainment empire.
- Known for viral philanthropy and outrageous challenges, MrBeast has amassed 368 million subscribers, making him the platform's most popular creator.
- Despite impressive revenue of $400 million last year, concerns linger over his business model's sustainability amid shifting media landscapes.
- MrBeast's potential bid for TikTok reflects a strategic move to diversify beyond YouTube's unpredictable ecosystem, echoing past media cautionary tales.

## Content

by Jennifer Saba

YouTube sensation MrBeast, best known for beloved-by-kids viral videos in which he gives away bundles of cash, now wants some for himself. His business is seeking to raise maybe $200 million, Bloomberg [reported](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/youtube-star-mrbeast-raising-money-022425723.html)on Wednesday, at an eye-popping valuation of $5 billion. Some advice for those too young to have seen this one before: an overpriced new media company is a pretty well-worn stunt.

MrBeast is an entertainment [phenomenon](https://time.com/collection/time100-leadership-series/6693255/mrbeast-interview/). The twenty-something, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, created a hydra-headed influencer empire combining 2000s-era prankster series Jackass and talk show do-goodery like Oprah Winfrey. Videos range from the inane - like “$456,000 Squid Game in real life!” - to the heartfelt, such as “I saved 100 dogs from dying.”

With 368 million subscribers, he has the most-popular channel on YouTube. Amazon.com paid him $100 million to make a TV series for its Prime Video service. His outfit made $400 million in revenue last year, according to Bloomberg, implying a potential valuation of 12.5 times sales. As might be expected for a startup, that wildly exceeds dinosaurs like Walt Disney or even YouTube’s owner Alphabet, which trade at 3 times and 6 times 2024 revenue respectively, according to Visible Alpha.

MrBeast may command such a lofty premium because he threatens to disrupt Hollywood, creating an unstoppable persona whose value transcends the old media system of studios and the like. But that’s a familiar story told by newcomers since the internet’s dawn. Vice Media, for instance, went from bad-boy ‘zine to an entertainment darling [valued](https://www.wsj.com/articles/vice-media-confronts-tv-woes-amid-leadership-troubles-1518003121) at $5.7 billion in 2017. That was a punchy 7 times expected sales, judging by a Wall Street Journal report, a target it missed on the path to going belly-up in 2023.

Similarly, the irreverent BuzzFeed mastered the art of listicles before building a newsroom to challenge stalwarts like the New York Times. It [went public](https://www.breakingviews.com/considered-view/five-reasons-buzzfeeds-1-5-bln-spac-deal-is-lol/) via a blank-check merger in 2021 with an enterprise value of $1.5 billion. It’s now worth nearly a tenth of that. BuzzFeed’s downfall came in large part because of its existential reliance on Facebook to reach readers. When the social network de-emphasized its kind of content, the company couldn’t compensate. MrBeast is similarly vulnerable to YouTube’s whims. In that context, it makes some sense for him [to try to bid](https://x.com/MrBeast/status/1878995330731299006)for platform TikTok, however quixotic the push might be - even a stake would be a hedge. Otherwise, he may just end up the latest in a long line of media concerns to punk investors.

![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/buzzfeed-480x294.jpg)

CONTEXT NEWS

YouTube star MrBeast is seeking to raise money for his entertainment business at a $5 billion valuation, Bloomberg reported on February 26, citing people familiar with the matter.

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, will use the cash to fund a holding company that owns his production studio, as well as chocolate line Feastables and snack-maker Lunchly, according to the report.

Editing by Jonathan Guilford and Pranav Kiran