AI NewsWhy creators are ditching ad revenue for chocolate bars and fintech acquisitions

Why creators are ditching ad revenue for chocolate bars and fintech acquisitions

9:51 AM IST · February 21, 2026

The creator economy is evolving fast, and ad revenue alone isn’t cutting it anymore.YouTubers are launching product lines, acquiring startups, and building actual business empires. In fact, MrBeast’s companybought fintech startup Step, and his chocolate business is outearning his media arm. This isn’t just one creator’s strategy. For many, it’s the new playbook. On this episode of TechCrunch’sEquitypodcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan unpack how creators are diversifying beyond ads, what happens when influence becomes infrastructure, and whether this model can scale beyond the top 1%. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Subscribe to Equity onYouTube,Apple Podcasts,Overcast,Spotifyand all the casts. You also can follow Equity onXandThreads, at @EquityPod.