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Khaby Lame’s reported AI-twin deal is tied to a proposed acquisition valued at two different figures for two different purposes. A January 9, 2026, SEC filing states that Rich Sparkle Holdings agreed to pay US$975 million in shares for Step Distinctive Limited; US$900 million is a minimum valuation condition in that agreement, not its stated purchase price. Rich Sparkle later announced that the acquisition had closed, and said Lame authorized the use of his face, voice, and behavioral models for AI-twin development.
Why the deal is described as both $900 million and $975 million
Rich Sparkle Holdings Limited’s January 9, 2026, Form 6-K describes a sale and purchase agreement to acquire all issued shares of Step Distinctive Limited. The stated consideration is US$975 million, to be satisfied by issuing 75 million Rich Sparkle ordinary shares to the vendors. The same filing lists a valuation of at least US$900 million, to Rich Sparkle’s satisfaction, as one of the conditions to completion. The two figures refer to different things: share consideration and a minimum valuation condition. Read the SEC filing.
What is the reported status of the acquisition?
The SEC filing on January 9 describes a conditional agreement, with due diligence and stock-exchange approval for dealing in the consideration shares among the listed conditions. On January 11, Rich Sparkle issued a company announcement saying it had completed the acquisition. The materials reviewed do not explain how the conditions were met or provide closing mechanics, so the completion claim is best understood as the company’s announced status. Read Rich Sparkle’s announcement hosted by Nasdaq.
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In its January 11 release, Rich Sparkle said Lame authorized use of his “Face ID, Voice ID, and behavioral models” to develop an AI Digital Twin. That wording is from the company announcement; the SEC filing’s agreement summary does not independently detail the authorization.
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The company presented the twin as a way to produce multilingual and multiple-version content and to support virtual livestream commerce across time zones, extending activity beyond a person’s own schedule. These are proposed uses described by Rich Sparkle, not confirmation that a working twin has been deployed. The reviewed sources do not establish what permissions or withdrawal controls apply, how outputs might be reviewed or labeled, or whether the twin has generated revenue.
What Step Distinctive and its operating partner do
The SEC filing describes Step Distinctive and its subsidiary as operating in e-commerce livestreaming, supply chain, livestream operations, and commercialization. It also says that, before the transaction, Lame directly and indirectly through Dominant Action Limited controlled 49% of Step Distinctive’s issued share capital. That is a substantial stake, but not a majority.
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Rich Sparkle’s release describes a 36-month cooperation period under which Anhui Xiaoheiyang Network Technology Co., Ltd. would hold exclusive global, full-chain operating rights. The stated scope covers livestream and short-video commerce planning, TikTok Shop operations, supply chain, fulfillment, after-sales, brand endorsements, and commercial development of the AI twin. This describes the operating arrangement announced by the company; the release does not establish results from it.
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The sources establish announced agreement terms, the company’s later completion announcement, and the company’s description of the AI-twin authorization and intended uses. They do not establish that a twin has been completed or deployed, what it produces, or how it performs commercially.
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Rich Sparkle’s release also says prospective annual sales “could reach $4 billion.” That is a company projection, not realized revenue or an independently confirmed result. Rich Sparkle reported 360 million followers across platforms in its January 11 announcement, without stating a counting methodology. Separately, Le Monde reported more than 160 million TikTok followers on February 1, 2026; that figure is TikTok-specific and dated, not a current count guaranteed to remain unchanged. Read Le Monde’s February 1 report.
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