Khaby Lame sells creator venture to Rich Sparkle in US$975m deal

TikTok creator Khaby Lame has sold Step Distinctive, the company that manages his global brand and commercial ventures, to Hong Kong-based Rich Sparkle in a deal valued at US$975 million.

Lame, who has more than 160 million followers on TikTok, is the platform’s most-followed creator and is best known for his “speechless brother” persona and signature palm-out gesture.

According to a SEC filing, Rich Sparkle has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Serigne Khabane Lame and a group of shareholders including Dominant Action, Pink13 Group, Anhui Xiaoheiyang Network Technology Company, Develop Master and Ace Fantasy to acquire 100% of the issued share capital of Step Distinctive.

Step Distinctive also holds 100% of Hong Kong Prosperous Sheep Corporation, a Hong Kong-incorporated company that operates across e-commerce live streaming, supply chain management and creator-led commercialisation.

Rich Sparkle said Lame’s fan-based commercialisation model is expected to generate more than US$4 billion in annual sales.

As part of the deal, Lame has also licensed his biometric identity – including face, voice and behavioural models – for the creation of AI digital twins, enabling scalable, multilingual content and 24/7 virtual livestream commerce within a compliant framework.

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The partnership will initially prioritise three strategic regions: the United States, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Rich Sparkle said the model will include region-specific pricing and independent profit accounting to reflect local purchasing power, logistics costs and regulatory requirements.

Lame has previously partnered with Hong Kong Tourism Board, visiting the city last year as part of a campaign aimed at attracting international travellers. The collaboration followed a 13-day trip across 10 Chinese cities, where Lame documented cultural and lifestyle experiences for his global audience.

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