Popular new live-streaming platform Kick’s launch of a smartphone app has revealed that one of its owners is Australian crypto gambling billionaire Ed Craven, confirming a Crikey investigation earlier this month.
After launching late last year, Kick released its iOS app this week. The app instantly became one of the most downloaded apps in the world, reaching #3 on Apple’s US top free apps charts.
Details included in the Apple App Store listing for Kick provides further confirmation about the ownership of the mysterious live-streaming company.
The app’s profile lists “Kick Streaming Pty Ltd” as its seller, as noticed by Twitter user @OllyRobzTTV. Business records filed with ASIC show that Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd is listed as the company’s shareholder and Brais Pena Sánchez as its director. In turn, Easygo’s directors are online crypto casino Stake.com co-founder Bijan Tehrani and a holding company owned by Stake.com’s other co-founder Ed Craven.
Earlier this month, Crikey reported on the links between Kick, Easygo and Ed Craven, including business records, employees’ LinkedIn accounts listing them as working for both companies, and information contained in job advertisements.
Since then, the 27-year-old Australian debuted on The Australian’s list of the 250 richest Australians at number 68, estimating his wealth at $2.01 billion. While Kick Streaming Pty Ltd director Sánchez has floated the idea of Kick soon becoming Australia’s next tech unicorn — a start-up that has reached a valuation of $1 billion without being publicly listed — Craven’s share of Kick has not yet been included as part of his wealth.
