5 Investments from Ryan Reynolds Which Proved to Be a Game Changer to His Already Hefty Net Worth

When you think of Ryan Reynolds, your mind probably jumps to his Deadpool persona – hard to tell the difference between Wade Wilson and the real Reynolds anymore – or perhaps his performances in hits like Free Guy and The Proposal spring to mind.

But off-screen, the hilarious Reynolds is not just using his jokes for gags, he also knows his way around business deals and investments. Some have turned out to be rather profitable for the coffer. Don’t forget his earnings from playing Deadpool for all these years.

Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool | Credits: 20th Century Fox.

With a net worth hovering around $350 million, it’s safe to say that Ryan Reynolds knows a thing or two about making smart investments. Let’s look at five of his most impressive financial moves that have contributed heavily to his net worth.

1. Aviation Gin, cocktail glasses, and cashing out 

Back in 2018, Ryan Reynolds invested in Aviation American Gin, taking over sponsoring and becoming the face of the brand originally founded by Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian in 2006 in Portland, Oregon. Initially, the gin was made by House Spirits Distillery, with the bottle resembling a flask reminiscent of the Art Deco era, with a black label and silver top.

Ryan Reynolds in an advertisement for Aviation Gin | Credits: @ryanreynolds, YouTube

Reynolds wanted to make sure Aviation Gin wasn’t just another bottle on the shelf, and he didn’t mind using his acting and marketing chops for that. One of Reynolds’ most memorable moments was his response to the infamous Peloton Girl ad controversy. 

He quickly turned it into a viral marketing win for Aviation Gin with a tongue-in-cheek commercial featuring the same actor enjoying a stiff drink. A combination of his popularity and the campaign itself paid off big time when the brand was sold to beverage giant Diageo for a jaw-dropping $610 million in 2020.

Reynolds is said to have walked away with an upfront payout of $67 million and could earn an additional $55 million through performance-based milestones. Yeah, it’s a smooth finish that will travel right down. He was selling a vibe, and people bought into it – quite literally.

2. Minting money with Mint Mobile

In 2019, Reynolds bought a significant stake in Mint Mobile, a budget-friendly wireless carrier. At first, it seemed like an odd choice for a Hollywood A-lister, but Reynolds’ hands-on approach to marketing once again turned Mint Mobile into a household name. 

Ryan Reynolds in an advertisement for Mint Mobile | Credits: @ryanreynolds, YouTube

Using light-hearted relatable campaigns, he made low-cost cell plans look cool. The ultimate reward came in 2023 when T-Mobile acquired Mint Mobile for a staggering $1.35 billion. Reynolds’ reported 25% stake earned him an easy $335 million in cash and stock. Not bad for just trying to sell affordable phone plans.

Reynolds casually announced that Mint Mobile had been sold—via an ad, of course. “I never dreamed I’d own a wireless company, let alone sell it,” he said replying to a tweet of the ad. It’s this self-deprecating humor that arguably does the job. 

3. Wrexham AFC and the football pyramid 

In 2020, Reynolds and fellow actor from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fame Rob McElhenney shocked the sports world by purchasing Wrexham AFC, a Welsh football club, and one of the oldest in the world, for $2.5 million.

The team was far from glamorous, playing in the fifth tier of English football. But Reynolds and McElhenney, with them, brought millions of eyes thanks in part to their hit docuseries Welcome to Wrexham.

The poster for Welcome To Wrexham | Credits: FX

Reynolds and McElhenney brought humor, heart, and a sprinkle of Hollywood to Wrexham’s underdog story, with three seasons of the FX show already out. Fans were introduced to the players, the ultras, and the quirks of the small Welsh town. 

The docuseries boosted Wrexham’s popularity, and the small club transformed into a brand. The town now sees a steady flow of tourism, merchandise is flying off the shelves, and Wrexham AFC has become the pick of many in the lower tiers of the football pyramid. As Reynolds put it, “We didn’t know anything about the sport – now we’re obsessed with it,” He added,

It’s a living, breathing, screaming nightmare for me. Now I love this sport so much that I hate it. It’s one of the greatest things that’s ever happened to me and genuinely one of the worst.

The club has since climbed up the ranks and even earned promotion to League One.

4. Maximum Effort and the agency with an attitude 

Reynolds, along with George Dewey co-founded Maximum Effort Productions in 2016, a marketing agency and production company responsible for some of the most viral ad campaigns of the past few years. (They even collaborated on the marketing campaign for Deadpool).

A moving commercial | Credits: @maximumeffort, YouTube

Both Mint Mobile and Aviation Gin also benefitted after synergizing with Reynolds’ larger business empire. In 2021, the marketing arm of Maximum Effort was acquired by MNTN, allowing Reynolds to continue benefiting from the company’s advanced ad tech platform. 

In 2023, Reynolds joined a consortium of investors (including McElhenney once again) to purchase a 24% stake in the Alpine Formula 1 team for $218 million. Formula 1 has been experiencing a global popularity boom, thanks in part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive. 

Reynolds clearly saw the potential and jumped into the driver’s seat for this. The two would double down on their partnership, with MNTN becoming a team partner. Reynolds would say at the occasion,

 A few years ago, if you had said I’d be bringing together my performance marketing software firm and Alpine Formula 1 team, I would have told you to get out of my living room – after asking you to explain what some of those words meant. Today, I’m just so overjoyed to be surrounded by so many talented people delivering such excellence so quickly. Here we go!

David Gendry, VP of Sponsoring, Partnerships, and Communications at Alpine, further added, “We are thrilled to welcome MNTN as a team partner. Formula 1 is the fastest growing major global sport, and MNTN helps brands move just as fast to launch TV advertising campaigns that drive immediate results, no pit stops required. We look forward to our journey together.”

Alpine is peak performance | Credits: MNTN, Alpine

Suffice it to say owning a  Formula 1 team is just plain cool. If Reynolds ever shows up to the paddock in a Deadpool suit, the internet might actually explode.

What makes Ryan Reynolds such a savvy investor is his involvement. Whether he’s starring in an ad campaign for Aviation Gin, tweeting jokes about Mint Mobile, or showing up on the sidelines at Wrexham matches, he tries to put his personal brand on the line every time. (It, more often than not, is a boon).

So, while Reynolds may forever be known as the wise-cracking Deadpool, he has also shaped up to be an astute investor. Cheers to that.