Can you believe this young Chinese influencer ‘Little Fairy’ with 7.7 million fans pays US$13 million in taxes?
- Hefty tax bill highlights how lucrative influencer industry has become
- Influencer’s tax transparency comes amid celebrity tax evasion crackdown in China
A young influencer in China with 7.7 million followers on Douyin paid nearly 100 million yuan (US$13 million) in taxes last year, driving home how potentially lucrative the career can become.
Pan Yurun, 28, hails from the city of Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province and shares skincare and makeup tips on Douyin. Her nickname is “Little Fairy,” and she has built a following thanks to her eloquence, sweet appearance, and cheerful personality.
On March 14, she disclosed in a video that she paid 95 million yuan in taxes in 2023 and displayed a screenshot of her tax payment as proof.
“Tax payment is everyone’s obligation, and I always pay the full amount without engaging in any so-called ‘reasonable tax avoidance’,” said Pan.
On the assumption that Pan paid the highest possible personal income tax rate at 45 per cent, her annual income in 2023 could have exceeded 200 million yuan (US$28 million).