The collision of celebrity culture and cryptocurrency markets has created one of the industry’s most persistent controversies: influencers profiting from tokens that ordinary investors are left holding.
Few figures illustrate this tension more clearly than YouTube megastar MrBeast, whose crypto trades have repeatedly fueled allegations of pump-and-dump schemes.
Blockchain researchers estimate that the influencer, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, earned more than $23 million from early allocations and token promotions over the past two years. His biggest windfall came from SuperVerse, where insiders were able to sell into a 50x rally while many presale participants were later cut out of the gains. Donaldson also reaped millions from projects like Ethernity Chain, Polkamon, STAK, and AIOZ Network. Deleted social posts and leaked private messages suggest he had deep involvement in these launches, even committing six-figure sums during presales.
These activities have made Donaldson a lightning rod for criticism. Supporters call it savvy investing, while skeptics see a pattern: get in early, help generate hype, and exit before the market collapses.
Regulators worldwide have been watching influencer-driven token campaigns more closely, especially as retail investors continue to report heavy losses from such schemes.
Now, after months of inactivity, MrBeast’s crypto wallets are moving again. On-chain analysts tracked more than $114,000 in USDT flowing into a new project called Aster, which only launched last week. The funds came from his “WuTangClan” wallet, which has jumped in value from just a few thousand dollars to over $120,000. Within 24 hours of his entry, Aster’s price fell 18% from its peak, fueling suspicions that history may be repeating itself.
The project behind Aster has heavyweight backing: it’s tied to YZi Labs, formerly Binance Labs, and has received endorsements from Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao. For critics, that only amplifies the risks, since institutional credibility combined with influencer hype often draws in unsuspecting investors.
Whether Donaldson’s latest move proves another multimillion-dollar payday remains to be seen. But for many in the crypto community, the story has already taken shape: influencers with massive audiences continue to wield disproportionate power over speculative tokens — and ordinary traders are left to decide whether they want to follow along or stay far away.
