Ryan Trahan is a YouTuber from Texas best known for turning a single penny into cross-country journeys that raised money for charity, and he is now a co-owner of the candy brand JOYRIDE. On Ryan Trahan net worth, there is nothing reliable to report, because no wealth-ranking outlet has ever put out a figure, so this profile lays out the business and fundraising facts that are documented.
Where it stands: In June 2026 Trahan hosted Joyride Day, a 24-hour stream promoting his candy company that drew 2.4 million views and set a Guinness World Records mark, Tubefilter reported.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Ryan Trahan |
| Known for | Penny challenge travel series, charity streams |
| Business | JOYRIDE candy (co-owner, Chief Creative Officer) |
| Biggest fundraiser | $11.5 million for St. Jude (2025) |
| Net worth estimate | None published |
Who is Ryan Trahan?
He is a challenge-and-travel creator who grew up in small-town Texas and has been posting since 2014. In a 2020 Tubefilter interview, the outlet noted that his first YouTube videos date to 2014 and mixed comedy with his state track meets, and Trahan described his earlier pursuits as “running track and becoming valedictorian, and now YouTube.”
He works with his wife, creator Haley Pham; Tubefilter calls them a husband-and-wife duo, and the two fronted his largest fundraiser.
The penny challenge and how he got famous
The breakout was a 2022 series in which he crossed the country starting with one cent. According to Tubefilter, he began in Los Angeles with only a penny and, after 30 days, reached Greenville, North Carolina, where he handed the penny to MrBeast. Viewership passed 190 million, and the fundraiser for Feeding America, a hunger-relief charity, finished at $1.38 million against a starting goal of $100,000. MrBeast added a final $50,000 donation.
The donation mechanics were part of the show. In 2022, Tubefilter reported, any single gift of $50,000 triggered “The Great Reset,” forcing Trahan to give up whatever cash he had earned so far. The 2023 sequel added paid perks, including an ad read for donors of $100,000; MrBeast took that option and used it to plug Feastables.
He repeated the format. In 2023 a new penny challenge started in Paris, with seven days to get back to the U.S., and the fundraiser had brought in $409,531 for Water.org at the time of Tubefilter’s report.
The largest drive came in 2025. Trahan and Pham visited all 50 states and raised $11.5 million to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Tubefilter reported. Anyone who gave at least $5,000 got an on-air shoutout, which Tubefilter argued turned the series into a do-it-yourself sponsorship format for brands. Those totals went to the charities; they are not his earnings.
How Ryan Trahan makes money
His documented income sources are sponsorships, YouTube itself, and his candy company. The amounts have not been disclosed.
- Brand deals. Honey sponsored a 2022 penny speedrun video set in Times Square, per Tubefilter. In 2023 Google sponsored a cold-weather survival video, with the digital studio Portal A arranging the collaboration, Tubefilter reported.
- YouTube. Ad revenue from his channel, which has never been publicly broken out.
- JOYRIDE. His equity and role at the candy company, covered below.
An equity stake means owning part of a company; its value depends on what the business is worth, which for a private company is usually not public.
JOYRIDE: the candy business
JOYRIDE is a better-for-you candy brand that Trahan joined as a part-owner. The company’s own FAQ says Tyler Merrick created it in 2022, partnered with Trahan in 2023, and that Trahan “is a co-owner and Chief Creative Officer.” His stake size has not been published.
The public launch of his involvement came in early 2024. Tubefilter reported that Trahan unveiled sour strips in four flavors, initially sold online as a four-pack sampler for $25, and that his team said he was responsible for “steering development, packaging, and merchandise creation.”
The pitch is nutritional. According to the company, as reported by Tubefilter, the strips have 4 grams of sugar per serving, which it says is around 80% less sugar than other brands; that is the brand’s claim, not an independent test.
Distribution has grown since. The company now says it is “in a variety of stores in all 50 states.” In June 2026, Joyride Day used a 50-state leaderboard to pick a new regional flavor; Idaho won, and MrBeast and Airrack made guest appearances on the stream, according to Tubefilter.
Ryan Trahan net worth: what the estimates say
No estimate exists from Forbes, Bloomberg or other outlets that calculate wealth from documented assets. We also found no Forbes Top Creators profile for him, so there is no published annual earnings estimate either.
What can be said: he co-owns a candy company with retail distribution, has worked with major sponsors including Google, and runs one of YouTube’s best-known challenge formats. None of that has been converted into a dated dollar figure by a reputable publication, and we do not invent one.
Compare the situation with creators who do appear on Forbes’ earnings list, such as MrBeast and Mark Rober, and with Marques Brownlee, whose app venture is also documented.
Recent news
Trahan’s 2026 focus has been marketing JOYRIDE through his audience. At its peak, Tubefilter said, more than 24,000 people were watching Joyride Day at once, and the winning state, Idaho, got a huckleberry-flavored candy of its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ryan Trahan’s net worth?
It has not been estimated by any major financial publication. Neither Forbes nor Bloomberg has published a figure for him, and we found no Forbes Top Creators earnings profile for him. Documented facts include his co-ownership of the candy company JOYRIDE and sponsored work for brands such as Google and Honey.
Is Ryan Trahan a millionaire?
There is no sourced answer. No outlet has published his net worth, and his income has not been disclosed. The large dollar figures tied to his name, such as $11.5 million for St. Jude, are charity totals that went to the charity, not to him.
What company does Ryan Trahan own?
JOYRIDE, a candy brand founded in 2022 by Tyler Merrick. JOYRIDE says Trahan joined in 2023 and is a co-owner and Chief Creative Officer. His ownership percentage has not been published.
How much did the penny challenge raise?
His first 30-day penny challenge in 2022 raised $1.38 million for Feeding America, Tubefilter reported. A 2023 version starting in Paris brought in $409,531 for Water.org.
Who is Ryan Trahan married to?
Tubefilter describes Ryan Trahan and creator Haley Pham as a husband-and-wife duo. They co-hosted the 2025 50-state fundraiser for St. Jude.
Sources
- Ryan Trahan’s 30-day journey to MrBeast got more than 190 million views and raised $1.38 million for charity — Tubefilter, June 30, 2022
- Ryan Trahan has turned his “penny challenge” into a speedrun — Tubefilter, October 10, 2022
- Ryan Trahan’s latest penny challenge raised $400,000 for Water.org — Tubefilter, July 7, 2023
- Ryan Trahan, Haley Pham’s 50-state trek raises $11.5 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital — Tubefilter, July 30, 2025
- Ryan Trahan embraces sour power with his own candy line — Tubefilter, February 13, 2024
- FAQ — JOYRIDE, accessed October 27, 2026
- On “Joyride Day,” Ryan Trahan unlocked a powerful new form of creator product marketing — Tubefilter, June 23, 2026
- Revenge is usually served hot. For Ryan Trahan, it’s ice cold — and sponsored by Google. — Tubefilter, March 31, 2023
- YouTube Millionaires: Ryan Trahan — Tubefilter, February 6, 2020
Net worth figures are estimates published by the outlets named, on the dates shown. They are not disclosed by the people profiled, they move with markets and private valuations, and different publications reach different numbers. Net Worth Rankings is not affiliated with anyone profiled here.