TikTok is a popular platform with over 100,000 influencers, and this number keeps growing daily. The app is active in many parts of America and around the world.
In 2018, Musical.ly merged with TikTok, which helped both platforms reach more users. Many influencers became famous when TikTok launched in 2016 as the app slowly gained global popularity.
TikTok allows users to create short videos with music, filters, and effects. The videos include dancing, comedy, education, cooking, and many other types of content. This article explains the top 10 TikTok influencers who have earned millions of followers on the platform.
How TikTok Influencers Rise To Fame?
TikTok influencers become famous by making videos that people enjoy watching. They create fun, real, and fresh content that often follows popular trends.
Many successful creators pick and stick with a specific topic they know well. They also talk to their fans through comments and make new videos regularly.
The TikTok algorithm helps videos reach more people when they get many likes, comments, and shares. Many top creators started with simple videos at home before becoming internet stars with millions of followers.
Top 10 TikTok Influencers Worldwide
Let’s look at the most popular TikTok creators who have built large followings. These influencers have turned their talents into careers, similar to how some creators build audiences on platforms like OnlyFans creators.
| Rank | Owner | Followers (millions) | Content-Type | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khabane Lame | 162.5 | Comedy/Social media personality | Italy/Senegal |
| 2 | Charli D’Amelio | 157.2 | Dancer/Social media personality | United States |
| 3 | MrBeast | 115.1 | Content creator/Philanthropy | United States |
| 4 | Bella Poarch | 94 | Singer/Social media personality | Philippines/United States |
| 5 | Addison Rae | 88.4 | Social media personality/Dancer | United States |
| 6 | Zach King | 82.3 | Visual effects artist | United States |
| 7 | Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson | 80.4 | Actor/Former wrestler | United States |
| 8 | Will Smith | 79.5 | Actor/Film producer | United States |
| 9 | Dominik Lipa | 77.3 | Social media personality | Mexico |
| 10 | CZN Burak | 75 | Chef/Social media personality | Turkey |
Further in the article, understand how these TikTok stars gained popularity and what makes their content stand out from the crowd.
1. Khaby Lame
Khabane Lame became TikTok’s most-followed creator on June 22, 2022, overtaking Charli D’Amelio after she held the top spot for over two years.
The Senegalese-Italian creator rose to fame with his wordless comedy videos, in which he reacts to overly complicated life hacks with simple solutions using his now-famous hand gesture.
His silent comedy style helped him break language barriers and gain international fame. Beyond TikTok, Lame has expanded his career, including joining ‘Italia’s Got Talent’ as a judge in 2023, showing how TikTok fame can lead to mainstream media opportunities.
2. Charli D’Amelio
Charli D’Amelio began posting dance videos on TikTok in 2019 and quickly became the platform’s biggest star. On March 25, 2020, she made history by surpassing Loren Gray to become TikTok’s most-followed creator with 41.4 million followers.
Later that same year, D’Amelio became the first TikToker to reach 100 million followers, a milestone in social media history. Her dance videos and choreography set trends that millions of users copied.
With 157.2 million followers and an impressive 11.9 billion likes, D’Amelio held the top position for 819 days before Khaby Lame took the crown in 2022.
3. MrBeast
Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, has built a TikTok following of 115.1 million with 1.1 billion likes by sharing clips from his popular YouTube challenges and philanthropy stunts.
Unlike many top TikTok creators who started on the platform, MrBeast brought his established audience from YouTube, where he was already famous for videos featuring expensive productions and generous giveaways.
MrBeast’s success on TikTok shows how established creators can transfer their audience across platforms, using TikTok’s viral potential to expand their reach further and attract new viewers to their main content channels.
4. Bella Poarch
Bella Poarch joined TikTok during the 2020 pandemic and quickly gained fame with her hypnotic head-bobbing lip-sync videos featuring her signature facial expressions.
The Filipino-American creator, who served in the U.S. Navy before her social media career, has gathered 94 million followers and 2.4 billion likes. In 2021, Poarch leveraged her TikTok fame to launch a music career with her debut single, “Build a Bitch.”
Her success story is meaningful to her Filipino fans, as she often speaks about her childhood in the Philippines and her love for Filipino culture, creating a strong connection with her audience.
5. Addison Rae
Addison Rae began posting dance videos on TikTok in 2019 while studying at Louisiana State University. Her energetic personality and dance skills quickly caught viewers’ attention, helping her gain 88.4 million followers and 5.2 billion likes.
Rae has successfully expanded beyond TikTok, launching her makeup line ITEM Beauty, releasing music, and starring in the Netflix film “He’s All That.”
As one of TikTok’s highest-earning stars, she has built relationships with major brands and celebrities, including close friendships with the Kardashian family. Her journey from college student to social media powerhouse demonstrates TikTok’s life-changing potential.
6. Zach King
Zach King transformed his Vine and YouTube magic into TikTok success, gathering 82.3 million followers and 1.2 billion likes with his “digital magic” videos.
King is known for seamless visual effects that create impossible scenarios. He brings movie-quality editing to short-form content. His optical illusions and creative transitions make viewers watch his videos multiple times to learn the tricks.
Zach’s content stands out for its technical quality and family-friendly appeal. This way, he secures major brand deals with companies like Target and Chipotle. His videos often feature everyday objects transformed through clever editing, making magic accessible to everyone.
7. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson brings his larger-than-life personality to TikTok, where he’s built a following of 80.4 million with 640 million likes.
The former WWE superstar and Hollywood actor uses the platform to share workout motivation, behind-the-scenes film footage, and family moments that show his softer side.
His videos often feature his signature charm and humor, sometimes poking fun at his tough-guy image. Johnson’s TikTok success proves that established celebrities can thrive on new platforms.
8. Will Smith
Will Smith embraced TikTok as part of his digital strategy. He shares a mix of comedy skits, family moments, and film promotions.
The Hollywood icon brings his professional production quality to the platform, creating polished content that stands out from typical smartphone videos. Smith often collaborates with his children and other popular TikTokers.
His account gained renewed interest following the 2022 Oscars controversy, showing how TikTok serves as a platform for reputation management. Smith’s success demonstrates how established stars can reinvent themselves for the new media world.
9. Dominik Lipa
Dominik Lipa rose to TikTok fame from Mexico, accumulating 77.3 million followers and 5.1 billion likes with her lifestyle content and dance videos.
Popular across Latin America, Lipa creates Spanish-language videos that have found global appeal through visual storytelling that transcends language barriers. Her fashion sense and dance skills resonate particularly with young female audiences.
Her success highlights TikTok’s ability to create international stars from regions often underrepresented in traditional media, expanding the global influence of Latin creators.
10. CZN Burak
CZN Burak, whose real name is Burak Özdemir, gained 75 million followers and 1.5 billion likes on TikTok with his unique cooking videos.
The Turkish chef became famous for preparing portions of traditional Middle Eastern dishes while smiling directly at the camera without looking at his hands. His restaurants in Turkey attract tourists who discover him through social media.
Burak uses his platform for charity work, feeding the homeless, and supporting communities in need. His content breaks language barriers through visual storytelling. This makes traditional Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine accessible to global audiences through his different cooking styles.
TikTok Influencers Revenue Generation
Top TikTok creators earn money through multiple streams. According to Exploding Topics, the highest-paid TikTokers make between $100,000 to $250,000 per sponsored post, depending on their follower count and engagement rates.
Brand partnerships form the biggest income source, while the TikTok Creator Fund pays about 2-4 cents per 1,000 views. Many influencers also receive virtual gifts during livestreams, sell merchandise, and use affiliate marketing links.
Fans can estimate potential earnings using a TikTok money calculator based on views and followers. The most successful creators like Khaby Lame, Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae have benefitted through TikTok fame into multi-million dollar businesses.
Conclusion: Khabane Lame Is The Most Followed TikTok Influencer
From Khaby Lame’s silent comedy to CZN Burak’s giant cooking displays, these top 10 creators have mastered the art of engaging short-form content.
Each influencer brings their unique talents to the platform, whether through dance, visual effects, celebrity personality, or cultural representation.
While follower counts matter, what truly sets these creators apart is their ability to connect with audiences across language barriers and cultural differences. So, enjoy scrollingthrough your favorite TikTok influencer and see what’s new on their channels.
FAQs
Khabane Lame holds the top spot with 162.5 million followers. He surpassed Charli D’Amelio in June 2022 and continues to grow his audience with silent comedy reactions to complicated life hacks.
Dance videos, visual effects, comedy skits, and authentic storytelling perform exceptionally well. Content that’s entertaining, easy to understand across languages, and encourages viewer participation typically gains the most traction.
International creators like Khaby Lame (Italy/Senegal), Bella Poarch (Philippines), and CZN Burak (Turkey) prove that TikTok’s algorithm promotes engaging content regardless of language or creator’s location of origin.
Most top creators took months or years to build their following. However, viral moments can accelerate growth dramatically, with some creators gaining millions of followers from a single trending video.
Charli gained fame through dance videos starting in 2019. Her choreography skills and trendsetting content helped her become the first TikToker to reach 100 million followers in 2020.
