Hawk Tuah Net Worth: From Viral Moment to Financial Success

From factory worker to internet star overnight—Haliey Welch’s story shows how quickly modern fame can translate to dollars. The viral “Hawk Tuah Girl” has built an impressive financial portfolio since her June 2024 breakout moment.

What Is Hawk Tuah Net Worth in 2025?

Haliey Welch has an estimated net worth of approximately $500,000 as of early 2025. This figure comes from multiple financial tracking sources that have monitored her rise since her viral moment less than a year ago.

Her journey from working at a Tennessee mattress spring factory to becoming a half-million-dollar internet personality happened in less than 12 months. Before fame struck, Welch lived a modest life in Belfast, Tennessee, and reportedly still lives with her grandmother.

How Did Hawk Tuah Girl Become Famous?

Welch’s road to fame began on June 11, 2024, through a simple street interview in Nashville. When asked about what moves drive men crazy in bed, her now-famous “hawk tuah” response in a “Tim & Dee TV” YouTube video changed her life overnight.

The next morning, she woke to her phone “blowing up” with notifications. The nine-second clip had sharing across social media platforms at lightning speed, turning the previously unknown factory worker into an internet celebrity.

Within weeks of going viral, Welch quit her factory job to pursue opportunities in social media. By the end of June 2024, she had signed with management firm The Penthouse and started cashing in on her newfound status.

How Much Money Does Hawk Tuah Girl Make on Social Media?

A important portion of Welch’s financial value comes from her massive social media following. As of early 2025, her digital presence includes:

This strong online presence has made her valuable to brands targeting young adult audiences. While exact earnings from sponsored content aren’t public, influencers with similar followings can command thousands per post.

Hawk Tuah Girl’s Major Income Streams

Merchandise Sales

One of Welch’s first money moves was partnering with Tennessee-based apparel company Fathead Threads to create “Hawk Tuah” branded merchandise. By late June 2024—just weeks after going viral—she had already sold over $65,000 worth of merchandise.

The demand shocked even her business partners. Jared Poteete, who runs the brand and knew Welch before her fame, noted: “Our largest orders are usually 100 hats, maybe 150 to 250 shirts. This is way out of the normal for us.”

Public Appearances and Endorsements

Welch quickly turned her viral fame into profitable public appearance deals. Reports show she commands “five-figure” payments for appearances at venues and events.

In July 2024 alone, she reportedly booked an appearance at Memory Motel’s pop-up in NYC, along with two other spots, for over $30,000. Her management team has been key in securing these opportunities.

The “Talk Tuah” Podcast

Following her viral success, Welch launched her own podcast called “Talk Tuah” under Jake Paul’s media company. The show features interviews with different celebrities and personalities.

According to reports, it quickly became a top-five podcast after launch, generating revenue through sponsorships and advertisements. This has become one of her most stable income sources in 2025.

The Cryptocurrency Controversy

Perhaps the most controversial chapter in Welch’s financial story was her December 2024 project into cryptocurrency with the launch of her own memecoin.

On December 5, 2024, Welch launched the Hawk Tuah coin ($HAWK) on the Solana blockchain. The coin’s market cap briefly soared to approximately $500 million after launch before crashing dramatically by 95% to around $25 million within hours.

The collapse sparked serious backlash and allegations of a “pump and dump” scheme. YouTube cryptocurrency investigator Coffeezilla (Stephen Findeisen) called it “one of the most miserable, horrible launches I’ve ever seen,” and accused Welch and her team of insider trading—allegations they denied.

Legal Fallout and Personal Response

The cryptocurrency collapse brought legal troubles. On December 19, 2024, investors who lost money buying $HAWK tokens filed a lawsuit in the Eastern District of New York.

While Welch herself wasn’t named as a defendant in the lawsuit (which instead named the Hong Kong company overHere Limited, its founder Clinton So, Tuah The Moon Foundation, and Alex Larson Schultz), she faced major public criticism.

In February 2025, Welch addressed the controversy in a “leaked” podcast episode with FaZe Clan founder Banks. She expressed regret, explaining that the idea had been presented to her as a “long-term coin” that would “change the way everybody thinks about crypto.”

“I feel bad for all the people that got affected by it,” Welch stated. “And it just didn’t go the way I planned.” She blamed trusting the wrong person, describing him as a “friend of a friend” whom she “probably should have looked into a little bit more.”

Current Financial Status and Future Plans

Despite the cryptocurrency setback, Welch’s net worth appears to have stabilized at around $500,000 in early 2025. She continues making money through her established channels, particularly her podcast and social media presence.

Recent reports show Welch is working to trademark her viral catchphrase “Hawk Tuah.” This move follows other viral creators like Liz Wilcox who have taken steps to legally protect their intellectual property.

By securing the trademark, Welch would gain exclusive rights to profit from the phrase that made her famous—a smart move in the creator economy, which experts project will be worth $480 billion by 2027, according to Goldman Sachs’ calculations.

What Can We Learn From Hawk Tuah Girl’s Financial Journey?

Welch’s transformation from factory worker to internet personality with a half-million-dollar net worth demonstrates both the opportunities and risks of sudden internet fame.

Her ability to quickly monetize through merchandise, appearances, and content creation shows smart business instincts. However, her cryptocurrency misstep highlights the dangers of expanding too quickly into unfamiliar territories.

As viral creators like Jack Doherty have shown, viral creators should take advantage of their moments of fame—but careful consideration of each opportunity is important.

Will Hawk Tuah Girl Net Worth Continue Growing?

Whether Welch’s net worth continues growing depends on her ability to stay relevant beyond her initial viral moment. Many internet stars fade quickly, but those who successfully expand their income streams and build genuine connections with their audience can turn brief fame into lasting success.

With her podcast, merchandise, possible trademark, and growing social media presence, Welch has created multiple revenue streams that could sustain her well beyond her viral moment—if managed correctly.

For now, her $500,000 net worth represents an impressive financial transformation in less than a year. Learning how to calculate net worth is one thing, but actually building it so quickly is rare. The next chapter will determine if she becomes one of the few viral stars who translate momentary fame into sustainable wealth, joining the ranks of creators like Ashanti who have built lasting careers.