Khaby Lame, the world’s most recognisable TikTok creator, has sold a controlling stake in the company that manages his commercial operations—marking one of the largest and most consequential deals involving a digital creator to date.
The transaction was completed through Step Distinctive Limited and gives Rich Sparkle Holdings control of Khaby Lame’s business in an all-stock acquisition valued at an estimated $900 million to $975 million. The deal represents more than a high-profile exit; it signals a structural shift in how global creator influence is owned, monetised, and scaled.
From Viral Fame to Corporate Control
Khaby Lame rose to global prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic after losing his factory job in Italy and turning to content creation. His silent reaction videos—mocking overly complicated “life hacks” with simple gestures—cut across languages and cultures, helping him build an audience of more than 360 million followers worldwide.
Until now, that influence was largely monetised through brand partnerships and campaign-based deals. The acquisition of Step Distinctive changes that model entirely.
Before the transaction, Lame personally held around 49% of Step Distinctive. Under the new structure, Rich Sparkle acquired control by issuing 75 million new shares to Lame and other affiliated entities. While ownership has shifted, Lame retains a significant ongoing stake, keeping him financially tied to the long-term performance of the business.
Why This Deal Matters
The headline valuation has drawn attention, but the strategic implications matter more. Rich Sparkle now holds exclusive commercial rights to Khaby Lame’s brand and business operations for an initial three-year period, with extensions tied to future performance.
These rights span:
- E-commerce and merchandise
- Brand partnerships and advertising
- Livestream shopping
- Technology-driven content initiatives
Rather than treating Khaby Lame as an influencer for hire, the company is consolidating his global monetisation under a single, platform-style operating system.
Influence Meets Ownership
Analysts see the deal as part of a broader evolution in the creator economy: moving creators from short-term monetisation toward equity-backed structures.
When creators are external partners, monetisation tends to be volatile and campaign-driven. When they become shareholders, incentives align around brand durability, operational discipline, and long-term value creation. In this case, Khaby Lame’s influence has effectively been upgraded from marketing leverage to a core corporate asset.
The market reaction underscores that point. Reports indicate Rich Sparkle’s share price jumped in pre-market trading following the announcement, reflecting investor confidence in the scale and defensibility of the model.
Building a Global Commerce Engine
At the centre of Rich Sparkle’s strategy is Khaby Lame’s unique ability to drive attention across borders. His wordless content travels easily between regions, giving the company a rare opportunity to scale commerce simultaneously in the United States, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
A major focus is livestream commerce, a format that blends entertainment and real-time shopping. Already a multi-billion-dollar industry in parts of Asia, livestream shopping is expanding globally, and controlling a creator of Lame’s scale provides a powerful entry point.
The company is also investing in technology-driven initiatives designed to expand content output and standardise execution—reducing reliance on one-off appearances and enabling repeatable, scalable operations.
Beyond Short-Term Sales
While near-term performance will be measured in revenue and conversion, the longer-term ambition is brand building. Rich Sparkle now controls the commercial engine behind Khaby Lame’s name, including merchandising, online retail, advertising collaborations, and future co-branded product lines.
This points to a shift away from chasing gross merchandise value alone toward building long-lived brand equity, a strategy more commonly associated with global consumer companies than individual creators.
A Signal for the Creator Economy
Khaby Lame’s stake sale is more than a personal milestone. It reflects a broader transformation in the creator economy—one where influence is no longer just media, but infrastructure.
As creators evolve into equity-backed platforms with centralised operations, the gap between influencer, entrepreneur, and global brand continues to narrow. In that next phase, attention still matters—but ownership matters more.
