- Kai Cenat has become the first Twitch streamer to surpass 1 million active subscribers, reaching the milestone in 27 days.
- The achievement came during Mafiathon 3, a month-long subathon featuring celebrity guests and major cultural moments.
- Cenat’s rise underscores the power of subathons as both community-building and revenue-generating formats in live streaming.
- The milestone strengthens Twitch’s creator economy positioning, though it also exposes how heavily the platform relies on star talent.
The streamer cements his legacy after a month-long subathon pushes him into seven-digit subscriber territory.
On September 28, Twitch star Kai Cenat achieved what no other streamer had before: Crossing the threshold of one million active subscribers. The 23-year-old hit the mark live on air, surrounded by friends and visibly emotional as his counter flipped into seven-digit territory.
Twitch itself posted a rare acknowledgement on X, declaring, “Chat, he did it. 1 million subs in 27 days. Congrats @KaiCenat. Legendary.”
Chat, he did it. 1 million subs in 27 days. Congrats @KaiCenat. Legendary. pic.twitter.com/WirjD4NOhO
— Twitch (@Twitch) September 28, 2025
The moment crowned Cenat’s Mafiathon 3, the latest and final chapter in his trilogy of marathon streaming events. Running nearly continuously throughout September, the Scarface-inspired broadcast blended celebrity appearances, community participation, and relentless momentum.
By day 27, Cenat had accomplished what even Twitch’s most seasoned veterans had not.
Mafiathon 3 and the Power of Subathons
By the time Mafiathon 3 wrapped on September 30, Kai Cenat had turned what began as a livestream marathon into a cultural moment. The final month of nonstop streaming tallied 82.5 million hours watched, broke records for peak viewership with over 1 million concurrent viewers, and solidified Cenat’s place as the most-subscribed Twitch streamer.
Reflecting on the accomplishment, Cenat told his viewers:
“I started off the year not even knowing what the f** I’m about to do after ‘Mafiathon 2.’ I could have quit at any time… but something told me to keep going. If I didn’t have Jesus in my life, none of this would be possible.”
STARTING 2025 I WAS A LITTLE LOST AND DIDN’T KNOW HOW IT WAS GONNA GO BUT FAST FORWARD AND NOW IM HERE 1,000,000 SUBS THANK YOU GOD❤️GOAL IS OFFICIALLY COMPLETE pic.twitter.com/qHvsvX9Dm6
— Kai Cenat (@KaiCenat) September 28, 2025
Subathons are streams where each new subscription automatically adds time to the timer. They are a format built on the intersection of momentum, reward, and community involvement. Cenat took that formula and elevated it.
Mafiathon 3 became a theatrical, star-studded narrative. Along the way, he featured appearances from celebrities like LeBron James, who avenged a promise by cutting Cenat’s locs live, and appearances by Kim Kardashian, Mariah Carey, Linkin Park, and more.
What distinguishes Mafiathon 3 from past subathons is not only the scale, but the consistent social media amplification and evolving narrative arcs; viewers were invested not just in the content, but in the journey, the challenges, and the promises (like the haircut by LeBron) laid out days earlier. It didn’t just grow subscriptions; it generated shareable moments that transcended Twitch and traversed mainstream attention.
LEBRON IS HERE CUTTING MY HAIR LIVE PULL UP pic.twitter.com/A9b2zR5J5X
— Kai Cenat (@KaiCenat) September 30, 2025
Cenat’s use of subathons demonstrates that creators now think in terms of shared spectacle, where donations are gestures of participation and viewing is active, not passive. That’s the power he unlocked — turning a streaming format into a movement.
Twitch’s Platform Stakes
The milestone arrives at a pivotal moment for Twitch. According to Stream Hatchet, the platform still holds a majority share of the livestreaming market, but Q2 2025 marked its lowest quarterly viewership in nearly five years. Falling below five billion hours watched signals a platform under strain—even as standout creators like Cenat prove capable of enormous traction.
Cenat’s achievement is not just personal; it highlights Twitch’s dependence on marquee streamers to retain cultural dominance. As rivals like YouTube Gaming, Kick, and TikTok LIVE compete for attention, Twitch’s ability to showcase breakout stars remains one of its strongest assets.
Cenat’s Expanding Influence
Cenat’s record-setting run is only one component of his broader brand expansion. Earlier in September, he unveiled a Fortnite Icon Series skin, complete with an outfit designed in collaboration with Mercedes-AMG. The Las Vegas Sphere reveal underscored his crossover potential beyond streaming, blending gaming culture, lifestyle branding, and mainstream entertainment.
His previous Mafiathon 2 was reported to generate around $3.6 million in subscription revenue alone, with total earnings—including sponsorships and advertising—likely surpassing $20 million. These figures reinforce that Cenat’s influence extends far beyond Twitch’s platform ecosystem.
Why It Matters for Creators and Platforms
Kai Cenat’s climb to one million subscribers is more than an internet milestone. It illustrates the growing centrality of event-based content in live entertainment, the financial viability of subathon mechanics, and the fragility of platforms that depend on a handful of megastars.
For Twitch, the win is a reminder of its continued relevance in the streaming wars. For creators, Cenat’s success demonstrates the ceiling of what is possible when content, community, and cultural timing align.
