Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
At the WAVES 2025 Summit, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed a jaw-dropping ₹21,000 crore paid to Indian creators over three years—cementing India as a global creator powerhouse.
From roasting videos to finance breakdowns, Indian creators are cashing in. Some now earn more than CEOs—tech YouTubers like Technical Guruji rake in over ₹1 crore/month.
A single viral video with 1 million views can fetch ₹50,000–₹2 lakh. In niches like finance and edtech, CPMs soar, making content not just creative—but lucrative.
To start earning, creators need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. Once in the YouTube Partner Program, money flows from ads, memberships, and more.
Super Chats and Super Stickers turn fans into financiers. During live events, creators like CarryMinati make lakhs just from highlighted messages and emoji bombs.
YouTube Premium users don’t skip ads—but still pay. Creators earn a cut each time a Premium subscriber views their content, creating a quiet but steady income stream.
Creators now sell branded hoodies, mugs, and gear. Ashish Chanchlani’s merchandise drops reportedly sell out in hours—blurring the line between YouTuber and fashion brand.
Top creators are courted by brands hungry for eyeballs. Finance creators like Pranjal Kamra reportedly charge ₹5–10 lakh per integration—sometimes more than TV ads.
Even mid-tier YouTubers can earn ₹25,000–₹60,000/month. With consistency, the leap from part-time creator to full-time income is now more possible than ever.