Ryan Kaji, 8, named world’s highest YouTube earner for second year running

A schoolboy who review toys has again topped the Forbes list of highest YouTube earners leaving veteran influencers in the dust.

YouTuber Ryan Kaji, who shot to fame with Ryan Toys Review, has topped the Forbes list of highest earners on the platform for a second year running, raking in almost $40 million in just 12 months.

Love him or hate him, the eight-year-old is doing something right, leaving veteran influencers like PewDiePie, Dan TDM and Jeffree Star in the dust.

Ryan reviews toys for his channel, rebranded last year as Ryan’s World, which has almost 23 million subscribers.

Ryan Kaji, eight, has been named world’s highest YouTube earner by Forbes for the second year running. Picture: YouTube

Ryan Kaji, with mum Loann and dad Shion in their Texas home, raked in almost $40m this year from reviewing toys on YouTube. Picture: YouTube

According to Forbes’ annual top 10 list, the American schoolboy made a whopping $US26 million – almost $A40m – between June 2018 and June 2019, up from $US22 million the previous year.

Ryan, who lives in Texas with his parents and toddler twin sisters, releases a video daily, notching up hundreds of millions of views – and sometimes even more.

His most popular clip features the then five-year-old running riot on an inflatable slide gathering oversized surprise eggs which has received almost 2 billion views since April 2016.

Ryan with one of his surprise eggs, sold under his toy line Ryan’s World which debuted at last year’s Toy Fair in New York. Picture: YouTube

Last year his global profile — and earnings — received a massive boost when he announced his own line of toys, branded as Ryan’s World, at Toy Fair 2018 in New York.

They include surprise eggs, the worldwide phenomenon that played such a big role in his success, which are sold in both Kmart and Target in Australia.

Chris Stokel-Walker, an internet culture writer and author of the book YouTubers said Ryan’s success was remarkable given only a fraction of hopefuls make a cent on the platform.

“The vast majority of people who start a YouTube channel or engage in any career as an influencer won’t make it,” he told the BBC.

“96.5 per cent of YouTubers don’t make enough from advertising revenue alone to break the US poverty line, and with the number of creators on the platform constantly increasing, the competition is only getting tougher.”

Ryan Kaji has been named the world’s highest YouTube earner by Forbes for the second year running. Picture: YouTube

Forbes’ top ten list of highest earning YouTubers is based on income estimates from sponsored content, ads, tours and merchandise.

The publication also released a list featuring the most successful online child stars.

YouTube stars Dude Perfect came in second place, raking in $US20 million ($A30million), followed by Nastya with $US18million ($A26million) and Rhett and Link in fourth with $US17.5million ($A25.5million).

Veteran make up artist Jeffree Star continued to hold his own in fifth place with estimated earnings of $US17million ($A25million) followed by Preston Arsement at $US14million ($A20million).

PewDiePie, aka Felix Kjellberg, who holds the record for the most YouTube subscribers (more than 102 million at last count), jumped two spots to seventh place at $US13million ($A19million), beating out British gamer Dan DTM who appears to be on the out, earning an estimated $US6million this year compared to the previous year.

Originally published as Ryan Kaji, 8, named world’s highest YouTube earner for second year running