Stokes Twins share journey from viral creators to global media entrepreneurs

The Chinese-Dominican twin duo, known as the Stokes Twins, detailed their journey from viral content creators to international media entrepreneurs at the CreatorWeek Macao 2025 Conference yesterday.

Since launching their joint YouTube channel in 2017, the brothers have become one of the platform’s leading acts, earning global recognition and amassing over 200 million followers across social media.

Originally born in Shenyang, China, the Stokes Twins have evolved far beyond their origins as YouTubers. Today, they are founders of a global media empire spanning the United States and China. Over time, they explained that they have “adapted to changes” in YouTube’s algorithm and have “evolved their approach” to create content that “resonates with a worldwide audience.”

Alan Chen Stokes highly credited their “dedication to engaging a global audience” for elevating their channel to YouTube’s top ranks.

As of June 16, 2025, Forbes ranked the Stokes Twins No. 19 on its Top Creators list, estimating their annual earnings at USD20 million (MOP160 million).

This achievement places them alongside creators like MrBeast, whose reality game show set new Amazon viewership records; Alex Cooper, podcaster and entrepreneur behind Call Her Daddy and the Unwell Network; comedian Matt Rife; and Jake Shane, the Therapuss podcast host known for his viral TikTok content and candid discussions about living with OCD and anxiety.

In 2025, their YouTube subscriber count alone reached 132 million.

Their success, the Stokes explained, comes from a careful and detailed approach, investing significant effort in every step – from ideation to final edit.

“Once we pick the right idea, everything else becomes so much easier,” Alex Chen Stokes said. He added, “Idea generation accounts for 90% of our work,” explaining that focusing on concept development “not only refines the creative process” but also boosts a video’s chances of going viral.

Alex describes YouTube as their “mothership” platform, focusing primarily on content-first strategies while exploring partnerships and other ventures in parallel. He also described their content production process as demanding.

“It’s very hard to integrate that DNA,” he said. “So definitely, we’ve learned automated processes. Depending on the video type, we spend multiple weeks on a video.”

He added, “Sometimes our scripts are 40 pages long,” comparing their workload to television scriptwriting and highlighting their commitment to quality.

By dedicating weeks to scripting and refining, the twins believe that this “sets them apart” from creators who appear to prioritize quantity over quality. This approach “can vary depending on video length and topic,” the brothers clarified.

When discussing brand collaborations, Alex stated that their approach has evolved since first launching the channel.

In that time, the twins have moved beyond one-off influencer deals to now focus on long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. “Brands are smarter and want to invest in the right creators,” Alan said. “We’re super special creators […] we definitely want to focus on the right brand partnerships. And we think it’s such a huge collaborative effort – we’re exposing the right brand so that we create a successful partnership, rather than just a wild brand.”

In markets like Asia and the U.S., digital influence holds significant sway over consumer behavior. In both regions, it appears that brands no longer seek quick, transactional influencer deals but aim to build long-term collaborations that add authentic value.

In the U.S., there is a stronger emphasis on authentic narratives and creator-driven content that aligns with social values, reflecting consumers’ demand for transparency and trust. “It’s not just about exposure,” stated the brothers.