Zach Hsieh, known online as ZHC, is an American YouTuber and self-taught comic book artist best known for his large-scale custom art challenges and giveaway videos on his YouTube channel.
He launched his channel in 2013 while attending the School of Visual Arts in New York City, later dropped out to focus on content creation full-time, and grew his audience to over 29 million subscribers.
Who is Zach Hsieh?
Zach Hsieh, whose full name is Zachary Hsieh, is an American content creator, artist, and philanthropist based in Austin, Texas.
He goes by the online name ZHC, which stands for Zach Hsieh Comic Art. His channel built its audience through art time-lapses, drawing challenge videos, and increasingly lavish giveaways.
His content often involves painting or customizing everyday objects, from iPhones to entire houses, then giving them away to fans, collaborators, or people in need.
This blend of art and generosity became his signature approach and drove rapid subscriber growth from 2019 onward.
Hsieh has also worked as a television host, leading the second season of the YouTube Originals show Instant Influencer in 2021.
He launched NFT art, signed with major creator management firm Night Media, and collaborated with top-tier creators including MrBeast, PewDiePie, Charli D’Amelio, and DJ Steve Aoki.
Beyond content creation, he has incorporated philanthropy into his videos by painting homes in a transitional housing village and surprising hospitalized children with gifts.
Zach Hsieh Early Life
Zach Hsieh was born on January 14, 1999, in San Jose, California. He grew up in a Christian household and showed an early interest in art, drawing inspiration from illustrated novels such as Captain Underpants.
As a child, he wanted to become a Marvel Comics artist.
At around 16 years old, Hsieh committed to spending 12 hours a day or more practicing his drawing skills. That level of daily discipline shaped the technical ability he later demonstrated on camera.
He went on to study at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he began his YouTube channel in 2013.
He eventually dropped out of the school to focus entirely on growing his online presence and practicing his art full-time.
Zach Hsieh Age / Birthday
Zach Hsieh is 27 years old as of 2026, born on January 14, 1999. His zodiac sign is Capricorn, a sign often associated with discipline and long-term ambition.
As of 2026, he continues to produce content on YouTube while also expanding into television hosting, NFT art, and philanthropy work.
Zach Hsieh Ethnicity and Nationality
Zach Hsieh holds American nationality, having been born and raised in San Jose, California. His ethnicity is Asian-American, reflecting his family heritage.
He grew up in a Christian household and has spoken publicly about his faith and how it informs his approach to giving back through his videos.
Zach Hsieh Parents and Siblings
Zach Hsieh keeps his family life private, so his parents’ names and their profession are not publicly disclosed.
However, he grew up with two sisters, whose names and specific professions have not been shared by Zach.
Zach Hsieh Height and Weight
Zach Hsieh stands at 5 feet 8 inches, which is equivalent to approximately 176 centimeters or 1.76 meters. His weight is reportedly around 68 kilograms, which equals about 149 lbs.
He carries a lean and athletic build, often seen energetically at work on large canvases or custom art projects in his videos.
Zach Hsieh Education
Hsieh attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, one of the country’s most recognized art and design schools.
He enrolled there to study art and began his YouTube channel during that same period in 2013. However, he dropped out of the school before completing his degree, choosing to focus full-time on his YouTube channel and artistic practice.
By early 2019, that decision had led to one million subscribers and a growing professional career as a creator.
Zach Hsieh Career
Zach Hsieh’s career as a content creator spans over a decade, moving from basic art tutorials to large-scale philanthropy projects and mainstream television.
His trajectory accelerated dramatically after a viral moment in early 2019, and he has since remained one of YouTube’s most-subscribed art creators.
YouTube Beginnings (2013–2018)
Hsieh created his first YouTube channel in 2013 while a student at the School of Visual Arts.
In those early years, he used the platform mainly to share art tutorials, covering techniques like crosshatching and working with Copic markers. His first video appeared in 2016.
The channel grew slowly at first, as Hsieh focused on developing his technical skills and building a consistent posting habit.
By early 2019, he had passed one million subscribers and was drawing between one and five million views per month.
His content at the time featured drawing challenges and long-session time-lapses, including videos like “Drawing for 10 Hours Straight!” that showed his endurance and skill-building in real time.
Breakthrough and MrBeast Collaborations (2019–2020)
The turning point for Hsieh’s channel came in February 2019, when he released videos drawing massive superhero illustrations of MrBeast and PewDiePie.
Both creators noticed the videos, which sent Hsieh’s channel into a period of rapid and sustained growth.
He went on to collaborate directly with MrBeast, customizing an iPhone and a Tesla car in videos that drew tens of millions of views.
That visibility led to further collaborations with Charli D’Amelio, Dixie D’Amelio, and DJ Steve Aoki.
In April 2020, Hsieh signed with Night Media, the creator management company that also represents MrBeast.
That September, he launched a second channel, ZHC Shorts, to publish YouTube Shorts content separately from his main uploads.
Television, NFTs, and Philanthropy (2021–Present)
In February 2021, YouTube announced Hsieh as the new host of the YouTube Originals competition series Instant Influencer, season two.
The show, reported by Variety, replaced original host James Charles and gave one up-and-coming artist a $100,000 cash prize. Season two featured eight episodes with art challenges and celebrity guest judges, all hosted on Hsieh’s own YouTube channel.
In March 2021, Hsieh launched his first NFT collection, Critters By ZHC, on the Nifty Gateway marketplace. The collection featured four original characters: Bun Bun, Fayur, Turkey, and Scrunchie.
These same characters appear in his merchandise line and regularly feature in his video content.
Hsieh also brought philanthropy into his videos in a concrete way. In October 2021, he and his team hand-painted every home in the Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village in Highland Park, Los Angeles. The village provides transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness.
He also surprised children at a hospital with iPads and custom gifts in a project covered by Inside Edition in August 2021.
Philanthropy and large-scale giveaways form a consistent thread across his content from 2020 onward, including video concepts like “Customizing Everything In An Apple Store, Then Giving It Away” and “Last To Stop Customizing Gets Tesla!”
Zach Hsieh Awards and Nominations
Hsieh earned nominations at the Streamy Awards in two consecutive years. In 2020, he received a nomination at the 10th Streamy Awards in the Breakout Creator category.
The following year, at the 11th Streamy Awards in 2021, he earned a nomination for Best Collaboration for the video “I Surprised MrBeast With A Custom House!” created with MrBeast.
Zach Hsieh Wife Michelle Chin
Zach Hsieh started dating fellow content creator Michelle Chin on August 17, 2018. The two appeared together in vlogs, challenges, and creative collaborations throughout their relationship.
On December 12, 2024, Hsieh proposed to Chin after an international scavenger hunt. The couple publicly announced the engagement, and just one month later, they got married on May 23, 2025.
The wedding took place at the Prospect House venue in Dripping Springs, Texas, over Memorial Day weekend. Chin wore a strapless white bridal gown with lace detailing, while Hsieh wore a classic black suit with teal hair and a colorful boutonniere.
The couple walked down an aisle lined with long grasses and shared wedding highlights with their followers through videos and Instagram posts.
On June 5, 2026, Hsieh announced that he and Michelle were expecting their first child, a boy, due on December 8, 2026. The couple lives in Austin, Texas.
Zach Hsieh Net Worth
Zach Hsieh’s estimated net worth is $3 million as of 2026. His income comes primarily from his YouTube channels, which include his main channel ZHC and the secondary channel ZHC Shorts, both of which generate revenue through advertising.
Brand Deals and Sponsorships
Hsieh has secured brand deals with companies across technology and consumer goods, with sponsors and advertisers featuring across his high-view videos.
His collaborations with MrBeast on product customization videos involving iPhones and Tesla cars also extended his commercial reach significantly.
Merchandise
Hsieh runs a merchandise line through his website zhcstore.com, which features the same original characters, Bun Bun, Fayur, Turkey, and Scrunchie, that appear across his content.
Merchandise sales add an ongoing revenue stream beyond YouTube ad income.
His creator management deal with Night Media, which also handles MrBeast, positioned him for higher-value partnerships and broader brand opportunities after April 2020.
Zach Hsieh Social Media
Zach Hsieh maintains active accounts across multiple platforms. On YouTube, his main channel is @ZHCYT, and he also runs ZHC Shorts for short-form content.
On Instagram, his primary account is @zhc, with a personal account at @zachhhsieh. His Twitter handle is @zhc_yt. He also maintains a Facebook presence under ZHC.
Summary
Zach Hsieh built one of YouTube’s largest art channels through years of disciplined practice and a content style that combined custom painting with large-scale giveaways, earning over 29 million subscribers.
His career expanded from tutorials to television hosting, NFT art, and documented philanthropy, while his personal life saw him marry fellow creator Michelle Chin in May 2025.
