TikTok Star Khaby Lame Signs Staggering Deal Worth Rs 8,980 Crore To Sell His Company

Khaby Lame, the world's most popular TikTok star, has sold his company managing his global brand and commercial activities in a deal worth a staggering Rs 8,980 crore ($975 million). The 25-year-old Italian content creator, whose real name is Seringe Khabane Lame, became popular worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic owing to his sardonic, silent reaction videos on Instagram and TikTok.

Lame's company, Step Distinctive Limited, was sold to Rich Sparkle, a publicly traded holding company based in Hong Kong, according to a public SEC filing. Under the agreement, China-based livestream and content commerce operator, Anhui Xiaoheiyang Network Technology Co., Ltd., will act as exclusive operating partner for Lame's global commercialisation efforts for an initial 36-month period.

The commercialisation of Lame's fan base is expected to generate more than Rs 36,842 crore ($4 billion) in annual sales, his company said in a press release, with the focus on three core markets, viz. the US, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

"In other words, the $4 billion figure is framed as the output of a four-part engine: traffic plus operations plus fulfilment plus technology, rather than a single breakout campaign," read the statement.

As part of the deal, Lame has also authorised the use of his Face ID, Voice ID and behavioural models for 'AI Digital Twin development' to create multilingual social media content.

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Who Is Khaby Lame?

Lame, a Senegalese native, has more than 77 million Instagram followers and over 161 million TikTok followers. His content specialises in simplifying overcomplicated online 'life hacks' through silent comedy. Lame's hallmark is his muted delivery, using wide eyes, a knowing smile, and his iconic 'palms-up' gesture to offer common-sense solutions.

He came up with the unique concept for his content while exploring the housing project in Chivasso, close to Turin, after he lost his work as a factory mechanic in March 2020.

With estimated earnings of $20 million, Lame has also signed lucrative partnerships with brands including Hugo Boss, with which he launched a capsule collection, Airbnb, crypto exchange Binance, and many Hollywood studios.

Lame was in headlines last year after he was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The ICE added that Mr Lame entered the country on April 30 and "overstayed the terms of his visa".

"Lame was granted voluntary departure on June 6 and has since self-deported the US," a senior Department of Homeland Security official said at the time.