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Are Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Hollywood’s next billionaire power couple? The Deadpool star just made bank from T-Mobile’s latest deal, but also invests in Tinder, 1Password – and a football club

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have made numerous lucrative investments over the years – and they’re really starting to pay off. Photos: @blakelively/Instagram, Chanel
Are Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds set to become the next Hollywood power couple to achieve billionaire status? As their savvy investments come home to roost, it may not be too long before they join the likes of Jay Z and Beyoncé, François Pinault and Salma Hayek, and Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel.
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at the Met Gala. Photo: @vancityreynolds/Instagram

Thanks to T-Mobile recently announcing its US$1.35 billion acquisition of Mint Mobile – a budget wireless provider that Reynolds holds a minority stake in – the duo are certain to get a lot richer, with Reynolds bagging at least US$300 million from the sale, according to the BBC.

The couple were previously estimated to be worth US$180 million, meaning they made almost double that overnight from a single investment.
Since meeting on the set of Green Lantern, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have become one of Hollywood’s most enviable couples. Photo: @blakelively/Instagram

We take a look at how Lively and Reynolds, who first met on the set of Green Lantern, made a series of money moves that have put them firmly into the Hollywood power couple big leagues.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds got married in 2012. Photo: @blakelively/Instagram

Here are nine ways through which they’ve built their growing bank balance …

1. Films

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at the premiere of his film Pokemon Detective Pikachu in May 2019, in New York. Photo: AP

Both Lively and Reynolds have earned big in film and TV.

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Lively got her claim to fame playing New York socialite Serena Van Der Woodsen in Gossip Girl, while Reynolds’ best loved character to date is still arguably Deadpool.

Leighton Meester and Blake Lively on location for Gossip Girl season three in Manhattan, Upper East Side, New York, in 2009. Photo: Shutterstock

And while Lively has starred in other hits including A Simple Favor, The Shallows and Savages, husband Reynolds has broken multiple box office records with films such as Free Guy, The Adam Project, Red Notice and of course, the Deadpool franchise – with each instalment making over US$780 million at the box office, according to Screenrant.

2. Aviation American Gin

Ryan Reynolds promoting Aviation American Gin in 2022. Photo: @aviationgin/Instagram

Clearly, the 46-year-old actor also has an eye for investments.

In 2018, Reynolds bought a stake in alcohol business Aviation American Gin, before selling it just two years later to European beverage company Diageo for a whopping US$610 million, per Investopedia.

3. Maximum Effort

Ryan Reynolds’ investment portfolio is more diverse than most. Photo: @vancityreynolds/Instagram
Also in 2018, Reynolds teamed up with digital content guru George Dewey to launch Maximum Effort, a film-production company and marketing agency. According to its website, the brand creates films, TV series, ads and “cocktails for the personal amusement of Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds”. They’ve worked on projects with Celine Dion, David Beckham and Hugh Jackman, and produced viral ads using music from good pal Taylor Swift.

Advertising platform MNTN bought Maximum Effort in 2021, and kept both founders as chief branding and creative officers.

4. Betty Buzz

Blake Lively started a non-alcoholic drinks brand called Betty Buzz. Photo: @blakelively/Instagram
Lively has an entrepreneurial spirit too. The 35-year-old started Betty Buzz, a line of non-alcoholic sparkling drinks using clean ingredients, “real” juice and natural flavours. As someone who doesn’t drink, Lively wanted to shine a light on mixers, the “unsung heroes of the drink world”, according to the website’s brand introduction.

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5. Match Group – the group behind Tinder, Match.com and Hinge

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are one of Hollywood’s ultimate power couples. Photo: @blakelively/Instagram

One of the smartest ways to invest? By having a diverse portfolio – and Reynolds sure knows how to do that.

 
In 2020, he joined Wendi Deng, Rupert Murdoch’s ex-wife, on the board of directors at Match Group, the giant behind dating apps including Tinder and Hinge.

“Most millennials and Gen Z can’t remember what dating was like before the advent of Tinder, OkCupid and Hinge,” he said in a statement. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and work with the team on their future growth and success.”

6. Wealthsimple

Actor Ryan Reynolds attends the Apple Original Film premiere of Spirited at Alice Tully Hall in November 2022, in New York. Photo: AP

The Canadian actor has also put money into Wealthsimple, a Toronto-based wealth management service that has a current value of US$5 billion, according to the company. Drake and Michael J. Fox also hold a stake in it.

7. Wrexham football club

Ryan Reynolds has visited his Welsh football club Wrexham AFC on several occasions. Photo: @vancityreynolds/Instagram
Disney+ documentary Welcome to Wrexham follows the story of how Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham AFC, a Welsh football club, in 2021. As one of the UK’s lesser-known teams, the move was unexpected and raised a lot of questions among fans.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, actors and owner of Wrexham AFC, at a match between Wrexham and Grimsby Town in Wales, in May 2022. Photo: TNS

Reynolds shared to The Athletic: “One day Rob sends me an email that outlines his plan to buy a lower-league club and grow it into something more resembling a global force. I just thought it was so unexpected and so interesting, and I love building businesses, and this is a business.”

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8. Endorsement deals

Ryan Reynolds modelling for Piaget in September 2016. Photo: @vancityreynolds/Instagram

Reynolds and Lively have both worked with a string of luxury brands over the years.

While Reynolds’ Piaget deal in 2016 surely brought in the big bucks, Lively has scored endorsements with Chanel, Stella McCartney and L’Oréal Paris over the years.

9. 1Password

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ ability to have fun with their moneymaking plans may well be key to their success. Photo: @blakelively/Instagram

Last year, Reynolds added another business to his ever-growing empire. He began investing in 1Password, a password management software worth US$6.8 billion, and starred in the start-up’s advertisement.

The brand behind the comedic campaign? Maximum Effort, of course.

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  • Reynolds’ investment in Mint Mobile just bagged him US$300 million after T-Mobile bought it for US$1.35 billion, while his agency Maximum Effort has worked with Taylor Swift and David Beckham
  • Lively started her own non-alcoholic beverage brand, Betty Buzz, and has been snapped up as brand ambassador by everyone from Chanel and L’Oreal to Stella McCartney