Khaby Lame deal worth 975 million dollars faces major stock market hurdles

TikTok’s most-followed creator, Khaby Lame, has seen his ambitious 975 million dollar deal with Rich Sparkle Holdings falter as major investment platforms restrict or block trading of the associated stock.

Announced in January, the deal proposed a merger between Lame’s business and the Hong Kong-based financial printing firm, promising a massive payday for the influencer while allowing retail investors to buy stakes in his brand. However, since the initial surge, the stock has plummeted by more than 90 per cent.

Prominent brokerages including Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, and Charles Schwab have implemented restrictions, citing concerns over the security's appropriateness for clients.

"Brokers feel they are doing their customers... a favour by not letting customers buy them," noted James Angel, a finance professor at Georgetown University. Confusion persists because no formal filings have confirmed the completion of the share transfer.

Lame has notably removed the stock ticker, ANPA, from his social media biographies and has refrained from public comment since the initial announcement.

The deal’s proposed expansion into AI avatars, intended to drive billions in annual sales, was met with significant industry scepticism.

Recent reports also highlight personal setbacks for the Senegalese-Italian star, including his 2025 detention by ICE for overstaying a visa, which prompted a move from the United States.

Despite the financial uncertainty surrounding Rich Sparkle, Lame remains active on digital platforms, recently securing an ambassadorship for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and collaborating with global brands like Lego.