YouTube megastar MrBeast has announced that his company, Beast Industries, is acquiring Step, a banking and financial services app built specifically for teenagers. With this move, Beast Industries continues to expand beyond content creation and into high-impact consumer businesses focused on young audiences.
Step has raised nearly $500 million in funding and has successfully scaled its platform to more than 7 million users. The fintech company actively helps Gen Z users build credit, save money, and begin investing, while offering tools designed to promote long-term financial responsibility.
Moreover, Step has attracted a powerful mix of celebrity and institutional investors. Notably, investors include Charli D’Amelio, Will Smith, The Chainsmokers, and Stephen Curry, alongside leading venture firms such as General Catalyst, Coatue, and global payments company Stripe.
If Step aims to further increase its visibility among younger users, then aligning with MrBeast, one of Gen Z’s most influential digital figures, represents a strategic decision. MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, currently stands as the most-subscribed YouTube creator in the world, with over 466 million subscribers, yet his ambitions extend far beyond viral entertainment.
“Nobody taught me about investing, building credit, or managing money when I was growing up,” the 27-year-old said. “I want to give millions of young people the financial foundation I never had.”
Additionally, this acquisition aligns with Beast Industries’ previously signaled interests. A leaked pitch document from last year revealed that the company had already identified financial services as a key growth area. At the same time, Beast Industries is reportedly exploring plans to launch a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which would offer a lower-cost mobile phone service similar to creator-backed telecom models.
Like many top creators, Beast Industries operates a diversified business model that extends well beyond YouTube advertising revenue. Although the company reinvests a significant portion of its ad earnings into content production, its largest revenue driver comes from Feastables, the company’s chocolate brand.
Feastables currently generates higher profits than both the MrBeast YouTube channel and the Prime Video show “Beast Games.” However, not all ventures have seen the same success, as businesses such as Lunchly and MrBeast Burger have faced operational challenges.
Meanwhile, Step’s leadership views the acquisition as a catalyst for accelerated innovation and reach.
“We’re excited about how this acquisition is going to amplify our platform and bring more groundbreaking products to Step customers,” Step founder and CEO CJ MacDonald said in a statement.
Beast Industries’ acquisition of Step marks a significant convergence of creator influence and fintech innovation. By combining Step’s financial tools with MrBeast’s unparalleled reach among Gen Z, the partnership positions both companies to redefine how young people engage with money, credit, and long-term financial planning. As Beast Industries continues to scale across consumer sectors, this move underscores its ambition to build enduring, purpose-driven businesses far beyond digital content.
