Faze Banks Net Worth

Richard “Ricky” Bengston, better known online as FaZe Banks or simply Banks, is an American YouTuber and entrepreneur who co-founded the popular esports organization FaZe Clan. 

The now 32-year-old celebrity currently resides in Los Angeles with fellow FaZe members. Though his personal YouTube channel has been inactive recently, Banks remains actively involved in building FaZe Clan through talent recruitment and overseeing operations. 

In this article, we will discuss FaZe Banks’ impressive net worth, his investments in cryptocurrency, future plans for the organization, and highlights from his career in online entertainment and business ventures.

Faze Banks’ net worth and source of income

Banks has amassed an impressive net worth estimated to be between $13-16 million. The primary source of his wealth is his role as the co-founder and former chief operating officer of the top-rated esports organization FaZe Clan. 

Founded in 2010, FaZe Clan is home to some of the biggest gaming influencers and competitive esports teams across various titles like Call of Duty, FIFA, CS: GO, and more. 

While Banks is no longer professionally gaming, the FaZe Clan brand he helped build attracts lucrative sponsorships from major global companies like Nissan, G Fuel, Verizon, and SteelSeries. 

Faze Banks is now the CEO of FaZe Clan (Source: TMZ)

The organization generates significant revenues by advertising sponsors on team jerseys and through its vast network of content creators with a combined social following in the hundreds of millions.

In his earlier YouTube days from 2011 to 2019, Banks’ channel “BanksHasBank” amassed over 5 million subscribers and 411 million views. At the peak of this online fame, he struck promotional deals with brands like Nike, Reebok, and Champion. 

While inactive, his YouTube ad revenue alone is still estimated to earn him around $300,000 annually.

Beyond business, Banks’ lavish lifestyle boasts an impressive car collection worth over $480,000, including a Ferrari, Tesla, McLaren, and Range Rover. 

He resides in the famous $30 million “Clout House” mansion in Los Angeles along with other FaZe members.

Faze Banks revealed cryptocurrency as a major part of his net worth

Banks has been an outspoken proponent of cryptocurrency, regularly evangelizing investing in crypto to his millions of followers on social media. He recently revealed that a significant portion of his estimated net worth of $13-16 million is held in cryptocurrency, especially Ethereum.

In a December 2023 Instagram post, Banks doubled down on his pro-crypto views amidst the broader gaming industry’s mixed sentiments on the topic. 

He urged his followers to “expose yourself now” to top cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana – recommending ETH as his “personal favorite” for its relative safety and upside potential. 

Faze Banks pictured with his dog (Source: Instagram)

Putting his money where his mouth is, Banks claimed to have recently spent around $200,000 on four altcoins: Prime, Pepe, Mog, and the upcoming Clouds token. These riskier crypto investments align with Banks’ reputation for early adoption of new projects.

The FaZe Clan CEO has been involved in crypto since its earlier days. In 2021, he faced allegations of pumping and dumping an altcoin he had promoted called BankSocial.

A wallet address linked to Banks also reveals he holds an extensive portfolio of popular blue-chip NFTs like Bored Apes, Mutant Apes, Azukis, CryptoPunks, and more.  

Faze Banks’ plans after GamesSquare acquired FaZe Clan

Banks has expressed confidence that with himself, Tommy, and Apex back in charge, FaZe Clan can recapture its glory days and former peak popularity. 

The 32-year-old believes the founding members “understand this brand better than anyone” and are grateful to have found a partner like GameSquare who sees value in their vision.

Banks’ main priority appears to be a major restructuring, stating, “The first thing I’m doing is chopping everyone’s [expletive] heads off. They’re all gone.” He aims to clear the house and start fresh, claiming “enough is enough” with how FaZe Clan has been run. 

While some fans believe Banks’ plans to revitalize the brand are feasible, others feel FaZe has suffered too much reputational damage in recent times. There are mixed reactions to his intention to “forge a new” path rather than clinging to past success.

Banks see the GameSquare acquisition as an opportunity to execute bold new plans once the deal closes in the next 60-90 days from October 2023, as expected. However, he also acknowledged his vision “won’t ultimately come to fruition” until the merger is finalized.

Under the terms, FaZe will operate as an independent division owned by GameSquare. He seems determined to make organizational changes and produce new content before speaking more about the finer details of his roadmap for FaZe’s future.

Faze Banks’ career as a content creator

Banks launched his YouTube channel ‘BanksHasBank’ in 2011, initially focused on gaming content around popular titles like Call of Duty. His first video, “The Single Greatest SoaRing In Style,” was posted on October 5th of that year.

Over time, he diversified his content to include pranks, challenges, vlogs, and more. One of his most popular videos is the 2015 “Crashing FaZe Temperr’s Car!” prank. 

While building his YouTube following, Banks joined the gaming group FaZe Clan in 2013, adopting the name “FaZe Banks.” He served as FaZe’s Chief Operating Officer until May 2022. He later became the CEO of the Clan in late 2023.

A significant turning point for Banks’ channel came in 2017 when he began dating social media star Alissa Violet, Jake Paul’s ex-girlfriend. The resulting internet feud led to exponential growth of his subscriber base.

Though inactive on YouTube, Banks amassed over 5.1 million subscribers and 410+ million views in his prime. 

Some of his most iconic videos include The 2017 “24 Hour Challenge In An Elevator” with RiceGum, his video response defending himself against allegations from Jake Paul and Logan Paul visiting his home during his beef with Logan’s brother Jake. 

Banks’ edgy personality and stunts shaped his reputation as a provocative content creator throughout his YouTube heyday from 2011-2019. While the 32-year-old has shifted focus to business ventures, his viral video catalog remains an indelible part of YouTube history.