YouTube creator Ryan Trahan (19.7m subs) is closing in on 10m views for his latest programming stunt ‘How Many Days Can I Double $1?’ At time of writing, he is up to 9.4m views – just 11 days after dropping the 75-minute digital first production.
Trahan captured YouTube’s imagination in 2022 when he launched his penny series, during which he started with one penny and hustled his way across the US. In the process he raised $1.8m for Feeding America. This time he is working with a dollar. In the opening of the reality-style show, he holds up a greenback and says: “This is $1. If you double it, you have $2 and if you kept doubling it you would be a millionaire by day 20. So the question is – how many days in a row can I double this dollar?”
Trahan’s instinctive comedic style has resonated well with viewers, who have been universally positive in their feedback. The top-rated piece of feedback said: “The most admirable thing about Ryan is his ability to have an audience of almost 20 million subs but he records videos with the passion of an up & coming creator. It’s mesmerising.”
Trahan’s content is typically based around challenges or stunts, such as spending the night in the world’s tiniest Airbnb, or exploring abandoned ghost town. As yet, he doesn’t have a high profile on traditional TV, but some of his content has featured on Apple TV+. Trahan’s latest stunt certainly has the feel of a format, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if either he or the format attract streamer attention.
Shopify has sponsored some of his videos, including the new one. He has several brand partnerships and is co-owner of confectionery company Joyride Sweets.
