Streamer of the Year 2026: Is iShowSpeed Set For Another Win?
The Streamer Awards are among the most prestigious events for content creators, and a lot of the discourse online has been over whether Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. can be crowned Streamer of the Year 2026 for the third consecutive year.
Blaire “QTCinderella” created The Streamer Awards in 2022, and the event has since been regarded as a means to appreciate and recognize the creators making a difference in the industry. The event has several categories, ranging from the Best Breakout Streamer to the Streamer of the Year. As soon as QTCinderella announced The Streamer Awards 2026, fans started speculating who would win the Streamer of the Year award. There are many fan-favorite creators, and even Kalshi traders are split over who will win the honor on November 12.
Who is nominated for Streamer of the Year at The Streamer Awards 2026?
QTCinderella announced the Streamer of the Year 2026 nominees on October 16. The list notably includes iShowSpeed, Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart, Joe Bartolozzi, Case “CaseOh” Dylan Baker, and Rani “StableRonaldo” Netz. This means four of the five streamers broadcast content on Twitch, and Speed mainly livestreams on YouTube. QTCinderella had stated that Kick streamers would be featured in The Streamer Awards this year, which is true, but no creator from the Stake-backed platform has made the cut.
Image credit: QTCinderella
iShowSpeed may be the most mainstream and popular creator, which sets him apart from other streamers. Speed is known for his IRL content, which takes him across the world and has helped him garner a more global following. This is also why many in the streaming space expect him to win the award in 2026. Prediction markets, such as Kalshi, are also leaning towards Speed winning, as traders buy contracts on iShowSpeed being crowned Streamer of the Year 2026.
Kalshi traders strongly back iShowSpeed
Kalshi has a prediction market for the Streamer of the Year 2026 category, which may be the most prestigious at The Streamer Awards. Although the prediction market has a contract for multiple creators, iShowSpeed currently has 66% implied probability of him holding the award for the third time. Jynxziis is up next with a lower 22%. Other creators, including Twitch star Kai Cenat, have a negligible chance, ranging from 0% to 1%.
Image credit: Kalshi
Traders’ predictions at Kalshi indicate the majority of traders believe that Speed has the highest chance of winning the award. This makes sense given what the IRL YouTuber has been up to in 2026, ranging from livestreaming the FIFA World Cup 2026 to appearing in mainstream publications’ lists such as Forbes and Complex. While guessing who will win an award is usually not that easy, Speed’s growing popularity may actually help him be the one to become the Streamer of the Year 2026.
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☑️ My view: Streamers are no longer a subculture
iShowSpeed will likely win Streamer of the Year for the third consecutive time at The Streamer Awards 2026″]iShowSpeed being at the forefront of both the community speculations and prediction markets isn’t surprising. The streamer performed at the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony, livestreamed from underwater, and has currently set a goal to reach 100 million YouTube subscribers. Other nominated streamers such as Jynxzi and StableRonaldo are also massive. However, Speed is on another level, which explains the prediction market’s massive bias towards him.
If he wins, this will be the creator’s third consecutive year being crowned with the title. The Streamer Awards 2026 will be held in November 2026, so less than a month remains for the event, and it doesn’t look like things will change. If anything, Speed will get bigger and more mainstream. This is why I think Kalshi’s top prediction is correct, and iShowSpeed has the biggest chance of winning Streamer of the Year 2026.
Feature image credit: Streamer Awards
Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.
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