The $300 Million Mystery: Everything You Need To Know About YouTube's Rarest Play Button
The landscape of YouTube success is changing faster than ever, and with it, the coveted Creator Awards. As of December 22, 2025, the official YouTube Creator Awards only recognize channels up to the 100 Million subscriber mark, but the platform's unprecedented growth has forced a secret, custom tier of plaques to be created for the elite few who have shattered that ceiling. The 300 Million Subscribers Play Button is perhaps the most exclusive and mysterious of these awards, a custom-made trophy representing a milestone once considered impossible.
This article dives deep into the ultra-rare 300 Million Play Button, revealing its official (though unofficial) name, its unique design, the material it's made from, and the handful of global creators who have actually received this monumental piece of YouTube history. This is the story of the awards YouTube doesn't officially talk about, but which represent the pinnacle of digital content creation.
The Exclusive Club: Channels That Have Reached 300 Million Subscribers
The 300 Million subscriber milestone is so rare that the list of recipients is incredibly short, consisting of only the world's largest YouTube channels. As of late 2025, one individual creator stands out as the primary recipient of this custom award.
- MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson): The undisputed king of individual creators, MrBeast has not only surpassed the 300 million mark but has raced far beyond it, currently holding an estimated 448–455 million subscribers. His channel, known for its high-production stunts, massive giveaways, and philanthropic efforts, was the first individual channel to reach this astronomical number and the first to unveil the 300 Million Play Button.
- T-Series: While T-Series, an Indian music record label and film production company, was the first channel overall to reach 100 million subscribers, they are also well past the 300 million mark. As a corporation, their custom awards are often less publicized than those of individual creators like MrBeast.
The fact that only a select few channels have reached this tier is precisely why the award remains a custom, un-standardized plaque rather than an officially listed award on the YouTube Creator Awards page.
What is the 300 Million Subscribers Play Button Called?
Unlike the well-known Silver, Gold, Diamond, and Red Diamond Play Buttons, the awards for milestones beyond 100 million are not given official, public names by YouTube. Instead, they are custom-made, one-of-a-kind plaques. However, the YouTube community and the creators who receive them have given these awards their own descriptive names based on their unique gemstones and colors.
The Emerald Play Button (or Malachite Play Button)
The 300 Million Play Button is widely known as the Emerald Play Button. Some community discussions also refer to it as the Malachite Play Button, both names referencing its distinct green hue. This custom award serves as the next logical step in the "Beyond Red Diamond" series of trophies.
The choice of a green gemstone is intentional, following a pattern of rare, high-value materials for these ultra-exclusive awards:
- 50 Million: Custom Play Button (often called the Ruby Play Button for its red color)
- 100 Million: Red Diamond Play Button (Red)
- 200 Million: Tigers Eye Play Button (Orange/Amber)
- 300 Million: Emerald/Malachite Play Button (Green)
- 400 Million: Lapis Lazuli Play Button (Blue)
This progression of colors and rare stones solidifies the 300 Million award's place as a uniquely prestigious trophy, visually distinct from its predecessors and successors.
The Design and Material: A Custom Masterpiece
The standard YouTube Creator Awards are mass-produced (albeit high-quality) plaques. The 300 Million Play Button, however, is a bespoke, custom-crafted piece of art, personally commissioned by YouTube for the recipient.
The Centerpiece: A Green Gemstone
The most striking feature of the 300 Million award is its centerpiece. While the Red Diamond Play Button features a massive, custom-cut red crystal, the Emerald Play Button is characterized by a large, deep green gemstone—either an actual emerald, a malachite stone, or a custom-made green crystal designed to mimic the appearance of these rare minerals.
This green centerpiece replaces the traditional red play button icon, set against a polished metallic plaque, which is often a heavy silver or platinum color, signifying a level of quality and expense far exceeding the standard awards.
Personalization and Unboxing
Each custom award is highly personalized. Instead of a generic engraving, the plaque is often engraved with the channel's logo or a unique design requested by the creator, making it a true one-of-a-kind trophy. When MrBeast unveiled his 300 Million Play Button, the design was immediately recognized by the community, confirming the existence of this new tier.
The custom nature of the award also means there is no standard box or presentation. YouTube's CEO or other high-ranking executives often personally oversee the delivery and presentation, further emphasizing the significance of the achievement.
The Official YouTube Creator Awards: A Look at the Standard Tiers
To truly appreciate the exclusivity of the 300 Million Play Button, it's essential to understand the official tiers that all creators strive for. The custom awards exist only because the most successful channels have outgrown the official program.
- Silver Creator Award: Given to channels that reach or surpass 100,000 subscribers. This is the first major milestone for most creators.
- Gold Creator Award: Awarded for reaching 1,000,000 (1 Million) subscribers. This award signifies a channel's transition into the mainstream.
- Diamond Creator Award: Presented for reaching 10,000,000 (10 Million) subscribers. This is a massive achievement, placing a channel in the top tier of content creation.
- Red Diamond Creator Award: The highest official award, given for reaching 100,000,000 (100 Million) subscribers. This award is reserved for the global elite.
- Custom/Ruby Play Button: An unofficial, custom-designed award for 50,000,000 (50 Million) subscribers, which T-Series and PewDiePie were the first to receive.
The 300 Million Play Button, therefore, represents a level of success three times greater than the highest publicly announced award. It's a testament to the creator's ability to maintain exponential growth and global relevance in a constantly evolving digital space.
The Future of Custom YouTube Awards
With MrBeast already surpassing the 400 million subscriber mark and receiving a custom Lapis Lazuli Play Button, the question remains: what comes next? Will YouTube ever officially recognize these custom tiers?
The platform's reluctance to formalize the 200M, 300M, and 400M awards is likely due to their extreme rarity. Creating an official, standardized award for a milestone that only one or two channels have ever reached is not cost-effective or necessary for the vast majority of creators. However, the trend is clear: as channels continue to grow, YouTube will continue to produce custom, ultra-exclusive awards to celebrate the new digital peaks.
The 300 Million Emerald/Malachite Play Button is more than just a trophy; it's a symbol of a new era of content creation where the biggest stars are reaching audiences larger than the populations of many countries. It sets a new, almost unreachable benchmark for ambition and success on the world's largest video platform.
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