Virat Kohli reportedly earned the most money from Instagram among Indians. He has 256 million followers on the platform at present.
India’s talismanic batter Virat Kohli might not be playing as much cricket this year as he usually does, owing to the change in dynamics in the Indian team, but he still remains the top-earning Indian on photo and video blogging platform Instagram. As per a report, Kohli charged a mind-boggling sum of INR 11.45 crore for every single sponsored post he put on Instagram in the 2023 list released. The list was topped by football great Cristiano Ronaldo, followed by his arch-rival Lionel Messi.
As for Ronaldo, he charged a whopping sum of USD 3.23 million which roughly translates to INR 26.75 crore. Messi, on the other hand, charged USD 2.56 million per Instagram post, which translates to INR 21.49 crore per post, according to Hopper HQ.
Virat Kohli is the only Indian to have made it to the top 20 list globally. As per the report, he charged USD 1.38 million per post on Instagram. His earnings translate to INR 11.45 crore for a single post. He has 256 million followers on the platform at present.
Mike Bandar, Hopper HQ’s co-founder, was quite surprised to see how the global superstars’ earnings have soared over the years on Instagram. He also highlighted how sporting superstars’ influence extends beyond the field.
“It’s still shocking to me that the annual money made on the platform increases every year,” Bandar said. “Yet, what fascinates me more is the consistent players at the top.
“It’s apparent that the glitz and glamour of traditional celebrities still holds power over the new ‘influencer’ status. Ronaldo and Messi not only dominate the pitch, but also the digital sphere as it’s clear they personify the power of personal branding and the influence it holds over us ‘ordinary’ people.”
Among Indians on the list, Bollywood and Hollywood actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas is the next on the list, at the No. 29 position. She charged USD 532,000 (INR 4.40 crore) per post, as per the report.