TikTok sensation Khaby Lame has divested his brand management firm Step Distinctive Limited to Hong Kong-listed holding company Rich Sparkle in a $975 million transaction, positioning the 25-year-old Italian creator as a major stakeholder while paving the way for AI-driven e-commerce ventures projected to yield billions in revenue.
The deal, structured through the issuance of 75 million ordinary shares, grants Lame controlling interest in Rich Sparkle and ensures he retains leadership of Step Distinctive, which oversees his international endorsements and commercial operations.
As part of the agreement, Lame has licensed his facial, vocal, and behavioral data for the creation of an AI “digital twin” to facilitate multilingual livestream shopping sessions across time zones, with estimates suggesting fan-driven sales could exceed $4 billion annually.
Lame, who held a 49-percent stake in the company prior to the sale, rose to fame during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns with silent, deadpan reaction videos that propelled him to over 160 million TikTok followers and 2.6 billion likes, making him the platform’s top creator.
Born in Senegal and raised in Italy, the former factory worker secured high-profile collaborations with brands like Hugo Boss, Airbnb, and Binance, earning him a spot on Forbes’ 2025 Top Creators list with $20 million in estimated income and an engagement rate of 0.86 percent.
The acquisition aligns with the booming livestream e-commerce sector, valued at over $40 billion in China last year and forecasted to hit $672 billion by 2033, as platforms like TikTok Shop expand globally.
Separately, Lame faced a brief detention at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Airport for visa overstay but was permitted to leave voluntarily, according to reports.
