Becca Bloom Spreads Wealth and Lunar New Year Cheer by Handing Out Cash to Strangers

19 February 2026

Becca Bloom, an American entrepreneur and one of the standout figures of the “RichTok” movement on social media, turned the traditional celebration of the Lunar New Year into an unforgettable display of generosity that made headlines across platforms. Known for chronicling her opulent lifestyle to millions of followers, Bloom and her husband, software engineer David Pownall, decided to reimagine the age-old custom of giving red envelopes filled with money by sharing them not with children in her circle but with a wide array of people in their community, including household staff, acquaintances and even strangers they met on the street. The gesture was chronicled in a February 18 TikTok video that merged viral spectacle with real-world acts of kindness and quickly drew attention for its scale and unusual twist on tradition.

The custom of gifting red envelopes during Lunar New Year is rooted in centuries of tradition and is meant to bestow good fortune, prosperity and blessings upon recipients. Typically, adults in families present these envelopes to children or unmarried relatives to convey well-wishes for the year ahead. Bloom, whose real name is Rebecca C. Ma and who has risen to fame as a co-founder of Hearth Wireless Chargers and a leading voice in #RichTok culture, acknowledged that she and Pownall did not have children yet to pass on the envelopes and resolved to share that symbolic good fortune more broadly.

In the video posted to her popular social media channels, Bloom showed herself and her husband preparing stacks of cash and filling red packets provided by a high-end Van Cleef sales associate. They designated the largest bundles for their housekeepers, chefs and other household staff who they said played vital roles in their everyday lives, giving priority to those whose work supports their home. Transitioning from private to public outreach, the couple also took to nearby streets with envelopes in hand, offering cash to a diverse array of individuals they encountered from pet owners on a walk to workers at an eatery and beyond.

Bloom’s caption for the video clarified that not every moment was captured on camera, particularly when handing money to people experiencing homelessness. Citing respect and sensitivity for those in challenging situations, she wrote that they chose not to film those exchanges, a nod toward preserving dignity even amid a very public act designed to uplift others.

Reactions to Bloom’s festive generosity were swift and varied. Supporters praised her willingness to extend traditional holiday blessings to people outside her immediate circle, interpreting the gesture as a modern and inclusive iteration of a longstanding cultural practice. Others debated the optics of the video, questioning the motivations behind sharing moments of giving within the context of social media performance and public influence. The discussion around Bloom’s latest act of generosity reflects a broader conversation about wealth, visibility and the responsibilities of influencers who occupy a platform with millions of followers.

Despite divergent opinions, the event underscored the influence figures like Bloom wield in shaping cultural moments and how they choose to engage with age-old traditions in a digital age. Whether seen as heartfelt initiative or spectacle, her adaptation of the Lunar New Year custom brought attention to issues of community engagement and generosity at a time when many around the world were also observing the holiday and reflecting on themes of luck and renewal for the year ahead.