![A seven-year-old boy is the top YouTube earner according to Forbes. [Image Ryan ToysReview/YouTube]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/12/4/660x290/b_502x220x82/a-seven-year-old-boy-is-the-top-youtube-earner-according-to-forbes-image-ryan-toysreviewyoutube_2157491.jpg "A seven-year-old boy is the top YouTube earner according to Forbes. [Image Ryan ToysReview/YouTube]")
It’s official. According to Forbes, seven-year-old Ryan, a vlogger who runs Ryan ToysReview, is the top-earning YouTuber. He has earned an astonishing $22 million (£17.2 million) between June 2017 and June 2018 by reviewing toys on his Ryan ToysReview channel on YouTube.
Since Ryan’s YouTube channel was launched by his parents back in 2015, he has attracted over 17 million subscribers and has enjoyed almost 26 billion views.
Toys sell out within minutes
As reported by the Evening Standard, toys featured in Ryan's online reviews regularly sell out within minutes of the YouTube video being posted.
Ryan has become so popular he has now launched his own Ryan’s World at more than 2,500 branches of Walmart as well as their website, featuring his own clothing and toys collection.
According to the BBC, Ryan posts videos almost every day and one he posted on Sunday, promoting Lightning McQueen Giant Egg Surprise with Disney Cars Toys for kids has already attracted almost 600,000 views on YouTube.
The BBC quotes Forbes as stating that the seven-year-old boy’s earnings do not include lawyer and agent fees or tax and have doubled when compared to his earnings of the previous year. According to Forbes, everything but $1 million was generated by advertising while the balance comes from sponsored posts.
Other top five YouTubers in Forbes’ list
Jake Paul, another online sensation, came second on the list with a mere £16.8 million. Third in line was YouTubers Dude Perfect sports crew who amassed £15.7 million, followed by Daniel Middleton of Minecraft fame who has earned £14.5 million. Number five on the list was Jeffree Star, a make-up artist who has earned £14.1 million on YouTube.
This 7 year old, Ryan, was named YouTube's top grossing earner by Forbes today.
— dc (@hellwithdevin) December 4, 2018
He made 22 million just this year alone.
Let that sink in. pic.twitter.com/8uucXTPuyW
The rest of the YouTubers in the top 10 were Markiplier, Evan Fong, Jacksepticeye, PewDiePie and controversial YouTuber Logan Paul, who has been in trouble for his videos in the past.
Social media reacts to the news
On hearing about Ryan’s top positioning, social media users reacted with disbelief, surprise and humour. Ms T responded with a video on Twitter, saying it was her, waiting for her son to wake up so they could go shopping for toys, all recorded for YouTube.
Me waiting for my son to wake up from his nap so we can go shopping for toys!
— Ms. T (@RahmaTweets) December 3, 2018
Time to $ee the po$itive in everything - even playtime at 11pm will be fine!! As long as we're recording it for YouTube 😁 pic.twitter.com/lAsoWGgVCC
Another Twitter user, Jess, joked about getting pregnant after hearing the news.
Me after seeing this pic.twitter.com/9Ue3tegnOH
— Jess (@JNeriD) December 4, 2018
Meanwhile, Mrs M reckons her nephew has contributed at least 20 billion of the recorded 26 billion views on YouTube.
My nephew has probably contributed 20 billion of the 26billion views 🙄🙄🙄
— Mrs M (@SnotFace1986) December 3, 2018
Many other social media users said they were planning on getting their kids to start reviewing toys.
