YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has acquired Step, a financial technology app aimed at teenagers and young adults, marking his expansion into the financial services sector.
Beast Industries, MrBeast’s company, confirmed the acquisition on February 9, 2026. The deal’s financial terms were not officially disclosed, but reports suggest it is worth over $1 billion.
Step was previously valued at around $900 million. Since its launch, the app has raised more than $500 million in funding and serves over seven million users, mostly from Generation Z.
Step provides mobile banking services including fee-free accounts, savings tools, a credit-building Visa card, early pay access, and basic investing features. Its banking services are offered through FDIC-member Evolve Bank & Trust. The platform has attracted celebrity investors such as Charli D’Amelio, Will Smith, The Chainsmokers, and Stephen Curry.
MrBeast said the acquisition is part of his effort to improve financial literacy among young people. “I want to give millions of young people the financial foundation I never had,” he said. He plans to integrate educational content into the app and leverage his YouTube audience, which has over 466 million subscribers.
Step founder and CEO CJ MacDonald said the partnership would “amplify our platform and bring more groundbreaking products to Step customers.” Analysts suggest the deal gives Beast Industries immediate access to a large base of young users familiar with the MrBeast brand, a strategic move amid a broader fintech market adjustment where many startups are selling at lower valuations than in 2021.
The acquisition highlights the growing overlap between influencer media and financial services. MrBeast has previously expanded into consumer products with his Feastables brand and aims to build “the largest and most innovative creator-based platform in the world.”
Further details about new features and integrations for Step are expected in the coming months.
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