Khaby Lame Sells Core Company in $975 Million Deal
Khaby Lame, the prominent Italian TikTok creator, has made headlines by selling his company, Step Distinctive Limited, for an impressive $975 million. The transaction, valued through a public SEC filing, involves a sale to Rich Sparkle, a publicly traded holding company based in Hong Kong.
Details of the Deal
The acquisition entails the issuance of 75 million ordinary shares of Rich Sparkle, making Lame a controlling shareholder in the newly structured entity. Despite the sale, Lame will continue to lead Step Distinctive Limited, which oversees his global brand and commercial endeavors.
Future Prospects
- Rich Sparkle projects Lame’s commercialization efforts could yield more than $4 billion in annual sales.
- As part of the deal, Lame has authorized the use of his identity for developing AI Digital Twin technology.
This technology aims to enhance multilingual livestream e-commerce content, tapping into an expanding market.
The Livestream E-commerce Industry
Livestream e-commerce is a rapidly growing sector, particularly in China, where it generated over $40 billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow significantly, with predictions of reaching $672 billion by 2033, according to Grandview Research.
In the United States, platforms like TikTok Shop and Whatnot are making strides in the market. Whatnot, for example, reports annual sales exceeding $6 billion.
Khaby Lame’s Background and Influence
Born in Senegal, Khaby Lame moved to Italy at a young age. He entered the TikTok scene in 2020 and quickly gained popularity. Within just 17 months, he reached 100 million followers, becoming the platform’s second-ever creator to achieve this milestone. Today, he holds the title of the most-followed person on TikTok, boasting over 160 million followers and 2.6 billion likes on his content.
Notable Achievements
In 2025, Lame ranked 10th on Forbes’ list of Top Creators, with estimated earnings of $20 million. He maintains strong engagement rates and collaborates with notable brands like Hugo Boss and Airbnb.
His journey from being unemployed during the pandemic to becoming a global sensation is emblematic of the evolving landscape of digital content creation.
Recent Developments
This summer, Lame encountered legal issues when he was detained at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas due to visa issues. Fortunately, he was granted voluntary departure, allowing him to reapply for the correct visa and avoid being barred from re-entry in the future.
