From FIFA clips to billion-dollar business moves, KSI’s rise has been anything but ordinary. The 31-year-old British influencer, boxer, and musician, born Olajide Olayinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji and better known as KSI, launched his YouTube career in 2008.
He first gained traction by posting FIFA commentary videos, quickly building a massive following. In 2013, he co-founded the Sidemen, a YouTube collective that includes Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123, and W2S.
Like many internet personalities, KSI has courted controversy along the way. But rather than fade, he evolved into music, boxing, and brand-building.
With multiple income streams and blockbuster ventures like PRIME Hydration (co-founded with Logan Paul), KSI has transformed from an online entertainer into a global brand, one of the digital age’s most remarkable creator success stories.
What Is KSI’s Net Worth in 2025?
As of 2025, KSI’s net worth is estimated at $100 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), a major leap from the $24 million he reported when ranked #2 on Forbes’ Top Creators 2023 list. That year, he posted an average engagement rate of 6.5% across 112 million followers.
The list also featured fellow YouTubers Jake Paul, MrBeast, and Logan Paul.
KSI has appeared on multiple major industry lists, including Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe in Entertainment (2021), and has been recognized as a major digital force for over a decade.
He ranked fourth in Variety’s 2014 poll of the most popular personalities among US teens and was named the biggest British YouTuber by Business Insider in 2016. By 2020, The Times had labeled him Britain’s most influential digital figure.
KSI currently runs three YouTube channels, KSI (25 M+ subscribers), JJ Olatunji (16.4 M+), and KSIClips (3.3 M+), alongside an enormous social following that includes 12.9 million on Instagram, 12.2 million on TikTok, and 8.9 million on X.
A Closer Look at KSI’s Career
Early Life and Onset of YouTube Career
Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, better known as KSI, was born in London on June 19, 1993, and raised in Watford, Hertfordshire.
He attended Reddiford School in Pinner and Berkhamsted School in Berkhamsted, where he met future Sidemen co-founder Simon Minter (per Hertfordshire Mercury). KSI is of Nigerian descent, and his younger brother, Deji Olatunji, is also a popular YouTuber.
In 2008, KSI launched his first YouTube channel, Jide Junior, before creating his main account, KSI Olajide BT, a year later. He quickly built an audience through FIFA gaming commentary.
In a 2023 Wired interview, he explained that his username stands for “Knowledge Strength Integrity,” a motto he “stole” from a Halo 3 clan he used to belong to.
In a 2014 interview with The Telegraph, KSI shared that he dropped out of sixth form because he found YouTube far more rewarding than “cramming knowledge” in a classroom.
Once he realized he was making more than his teacher, around £1,500 per month at the time, he knew he wanted to focus full-time on content creation.
Though his parents initially disapproved, they eventually came around when his success became impossible to ignore. KSI went on to pay for the house his parents lived in, calling it a “really cool” milestone.
Sidemen and Widespread YouTube Success
KSI’s channel took off when he began posting FIFA commentary videos, a niche still in its early stages. His energy, humor, and consistency helped him gain millions of views, and within months, he was uploading nearly 40 videos per month.
As his income exploded, KSI hired an agent, admitting to The Telegraph that he “wasn’t business-minded” early on. He also shared how proud he was to be known for EA’s FIFA series on YouTube, a title he embraced enthusiastically.
But success didn’t come without growing pains. At 18, KSI faced backlash for his controversial “rape face” jokes and was banned from Eurogamer Expo events due to sexism allegations. While weathering the criticism, the experience marked a turning point in how he handled fame.
In October 2013, KSI expanded his reach by signing with Polaris, a sub-network of Maker Studios (per Tubefilter), and co-founding the Sidemen, now one of the most successful creator groups on YouTube.
Alongside Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123, and W2S, the group built a cult following through sketches, challenges, and gameplay commentary (per The National).
Later, tensions with fellow Sidemen member Ethan Payne led to a brief falling out, sparking diss tracks and speculation about KSI’s departure.
However, The Sidemen Story documentary on Netflix revealed that the drama was mostly staged banter, and that KSI stepped away briefly to focus on launching his music career (per Cosmopolitan).
Birth of KSI’s Chart-Topping Music Career
Though KSI launched his career as a YouTuber, he eventually parlayed his viral fame and early comedy rap success into a full-fledged music career.
His first official single, “Lamborghini,” featuring British grime artist P Money, dropped in 2015 and reached No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart before slipping out of the Top 100 after three weeks (per Official Charts).
He followed that debut with his first EP, Keep Up, in January 2016, and then Jump Around later that year—both released through Island Records. One of his tracks was even featured in the 2017 film Baywatch.
In 2017, he also released two additional EPs, Space and Disstracktions, before announcing on X (formerly Twitter) that he would become an independent artist.
KSI continued experimenting with different sounds and eventually signed with RBC Records and BMG in 2019. That deal opened the door to collaborations with major artists like Rick Ross, Lil Baby, and Trippie Redd (per Music Week).
His debut album, Dissimulation, released on May 22, 2020, became the best-selling debut by a British artist that year and was certified gold by the BPI (per Official Charts). The album spawned hits like “Don’t Play,” “Holiday,” and “Not Over Yet.”
He followed up with All Over the Place in July 2021, which debuted No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and marked his first official chart-topping album (per BBC).
Foray Into Boxing and Founding Misfits Boxing
After dominating YouTube and music, KSI literally stepped into another arena. His boxing debut took place on February 3, 2018, at London’s Copper Box Arena, where he faced fellow YouTuber Joe Weller in an amateur match.
The pair had been publicly feuding on X, and ultimately decided to settle the beef in the ring (per Tapology). KSI won the fight by technical knockout just 1 minute and 37 seconds into the third round.
Later that year, KSI fought Logan Paul in another amateur match, which ended in a draw. The highly publicized rematch in 2019 marked KSI’s professional debut and ended with him winning by decision (per USA Today). These events helped propel influencer boxing into mainstream popularity.
Following the Paul fight, KSI continued building his boxing résumé with bouts against Thomas Oliveira (aka FaZe Temperrr), British boxer Joe Fournier, and nightlife entrepreneur Tommy Fury.
In 2021, he co-founded Misfits Boxing, a promotion company created in partnership with Wasserman Boxing, where he also serves as CEO. The brand positions itself at the intersection of sports and entertainment (per Sports Pro).
How Does KSI Make His Money?
KSI’s success stems from a multi-pronged empire built on content, business, music, and sport. Since first uploading videos in the late 2000s, the 31-year-old has expanded his brand far beyond YouTube, generating income across industries with his ever-growing influence.
While YouTube ad revenue and pay-per-view boxing events laid the foundation, his equity in businesses like PRIME Hydration has taken his net worth to new heights.
Ad Revenue from YouTube Channels and Sidemen
KSI runs three personal YouTube channels, KSI, JJ Olatunji, and KSIClips, alongside four Sidemen channels: Sidemen, MoreSidemen, SidemenReacts, and SidemenShorts.
Thanks to billions of views and frequent uploads, he earns substantial ad revenue, supplemented by sponsorships and brand deals. According to Sports Illustrated, he brings in an estimated $250,000 per video.
Beyond content, the Sidemen collective has launched several profitable ventures, including Sidemen Clothing (2014), the restaurant chain Sides, subscription app Side+ (2021), XIX Vodka (2022), and Best Cereal (2024) (per The Times). Revenue is shared among the group’s seven members.
Music Career
KSI’s chart-topping music career is another major revenue stream. He earns from streaming royalties, record sales, and ticketed tours. His consistent success on the UK charts has made music a meaningful pillar of his personal brand and income (per Yahoo Finance).
Boxing Matches: PPV and Fight Purses
High-profile boxing matches have delivered multi-million-dollar payouts. KSI’s initial fight against Logan Paul set pay-per-view records, with each walking away with $500K upfront, plus a cut from UK and U.S. PPV sales (per Marca).
In 2023, KSI’s bout against Tommy Fury at Manchester’s AO Arena had a fight purse reportedly worth $10 million, though the exact split wasn’t disclosed (per The Sun).
Business Ventures: PRIME Hydration and More
One of KSI’s most valuable assets is his 20% stake in PRIME Hydration, co-founded with Logan Paul in 2022. The brand generated $250 million in its first year (per Fortune) and is now valued at over $5.5 billion. If estimates hold, KSI’s cut could exceed $1.1 billion (per Essentially Sports).
Not all ventures have been smooth sailing. In 2024, KSI and MrBeast launched LUNCHLY, a snack pack marketed as a healthier Lunchables alternative. It quickly got backlash over misleading health claims and reports of mold contamination (per Forbes).
Lucrative Brand Deals and Partnerships
Beyond his businesses, KSI profits from major endorsements and partnerships. He’s worked with brands like JD Sports, Adidas, and Kalle & Nisse Sauerland. He also profits from merchandise sold through Sidemen Clothing and KSI Merch.
