Forbes Unveils TikTok’s Highest-Paid Creators

For the first time Forbes has ranked TikTok influencers who turned 15-second clips into million-dollar businesses. Leading the list is 19-year-old Addison Rae Easterling. Only a year ago she was a Louisiana journalism student posting dance videos; today she boasts 54M followers, partnerships with American Eagle and Spotify, her own beauty line Item Beauty and an estimated $5M income.

Second place goes to Charli D’Amelio ($4M). In just months her dance clips went viral, she opened for the Jonas Brothers, appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s show and attended Paris Fashion Week with Prada. Third is sister Dixie D’Amelio ($2.9M), now also pursuing a music career with a debut single viewed tens of millions of times.

Also on the list: Loren Gray ($2.6M), who built her brand without agents; Josh Richards ($1.5M), influencer-turned-entrepreneur founding TalentX and Ani Energy; Michael Le ($1.2M), creator of Shluv House with record-breaking views; and beatboxer Spencer X ($1.2M), landing deals with Uno, Oreo and Sony.

This ranking shows how a new generation of creators goes beyond entertainment — launching brands, podcasts and merchandise, converting viral fame into lasting revenue while TikTok’s US future remains uncertain.