Who Owns Kick: Major Shareholders

Who owns Kick is a question that goes beyond simple business curiosity — it’s about understanding how a small, privately funded platform managed to disrupt a billion-dollar streaming industry. Kick didn’t emerge from Silicon Valley or a major media conglomerate; it was built by two Australian entrepreneurs with a background in gaming. Their goal wasn’t just to compete with Twitch — it was to rewrite how streaming platforms treat creators, and in just a few years, they’ve managed to do exactly that.

Key Takeaways

• Kick is privately owned through its Australian parent company, Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd, which holds 100% ownership of Kick Streaming Pty Ltd, the operating entity behind the platform.
• Bijan Tehrani is the majority shareholder, owning roughly 66.7% of Easygo, giving him the largest voting power and control over Kick’s long-term direction.
• Ed Craven, through Ashwood Holdings Pty Ltd, owns around 33.3% of Easygo and serves as CEO of Kick, overseeing day-to-day operations, partnerships, and growth strategy.
• There are no outside investors or venture capital firms involved as of 2025, meaning Kick remains fully founder-controlled, allowing for faster decision-making and strategic independence.

Kick Profile

Kick (also styled Kick.com) is a livestreaming and video-on-demand service that began in late 2022. It is run by Kick Streaming Pty Ltd, based in Australia, and is backed by Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd. The service competes with Twitch and YouTube by offering a high revenue share (streamers keep 95%) and looser moderation policies. The platform supports multistreaming and markets itself as more creator-friendly.

By March 2025, Kick reached new records: it logged over 317 million hours watched in that month alone, and average concurrent viewership peaked near 443,559 users.

In mid-2025, it continued growing, with more creators migrating from other platforms, raising Kick’s share among live streaming platforms.

Founders

Kick was founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 2022 by two entrepreneurs — Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani. Both had already made their mark in the online gaming and entertainment industry through their company Easygo Entertainment, which later became Kick’s parent organization.

The idea for Kick was born out of frustration with existing streaming platforms that took large revenue cuts from creators and imposed strict moderation rules. Craven and Tehrani wanted to build something different — a space that allowed streamers to earn fairly and speak freely.

They combined their technical experience, business resources, and understanding of online entertainment to launch Kick Streaming Pty Ltd, the company that operates the platform.

Major Milestones

• November 2022: Kick Streaming Pty Ltd was registered as the vehicle to host the platform, and Kick truly began operations around December 2022.
• 2023: Kick made waves by signing big streamers. The most famous is xQc, who inked a multi-year deal (reportedly $70 million, with potential incentives). Other creators like Amouranth, Adin Ross, and Hikaru also joined.
• Also in 2023, Kick became the title sponsor of the F1 team “Kick Sauber,” stepping in where gambling-related sponsorships had limits.
• 2024: Kick’s total hours watched crossed 2.1 billion for the year.
• March 2025: Kick recorded its highest monthly watch time to date — over 317 million hours — and hit its highest ever average concurrent viewership.
• 2025 (early months): Kick expanded its platform tools: launching a public API, a developer fund, and the Kick Road Campaign to provide cash prizes to smaller streamers.
• 2025 (policy changes): The company revised its monetization model, particularly affecting gambling and casino streamers, restricting hourly pay in those categories.
• 2025 (August): A tragic event occurred: a French streamer, Raphaël Graven (aka Jean Pormanove), died while streaming live on Kick. This incident prompted scrutiny over Kick’s moderation, safety policies, and platform responsibilities.

Who Owns Kick: Top Shareholders

Kick is not a public company. Its ownership is held through a small network of private entities. The streaming service itself (Kick Streaming Pty Ltd) is 100% owned by Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd. That means all real control and equity lies within Easygo. The founders, through corporate vehicles and holdings, are the direct shareholders of Easygo.

As of October 2025, the known ownership is largely split between two major parties, though some reports and filings hint at additional minor stakeholders or structural roles. The control of Easygo is essentially the control of Kick.

Bijan Tehrani – Majority Shareholder

Bijan Tehrani holds the larger portion of Easygo’s shares—approximately two-thirds (about 66.67%). As the majority owner, his stake gives him the strongest voting influence and strategic authority over policy, capital allocation, and the direction of both Easygo and Kick. His influence is particularly strong in long-term decisions, corporate alliances, and capital matters.

Tehrani’s background in gaming and digital enterprises brings both domain knowledge and capital support to the venture. Because he holds the majority share, any structural change or major move (mergers, acquisitions, etc.) would typically require his agreement or acquiescence.

Ed Craven via Ashwood Holdings

Ed Craven holds the remaining one-third (about 33.33%) of Easygo through his wholly owned entity, Ashwood Holdings Pty Ltd. This minority share still grants significant control—especially in day-to-day operations and execution. As CEO of Kick, Craven is deeply involved in managing partnerships, product decisions, community relations, and growth initiatives.

His stake gives him a firm footing in strategic debates, but with the understanding that he is subordinate to the majority in structural votes. Because his share is packaged through a corporate vehicle, he has the legal and financial insulation typical of high-value ownership structures.

Parent Company: Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd

Kick operates under the umbrella of Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd, an Australian-based online gaming and entertainment company headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 2016 by Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven, Easygo has grown into one of Australia’s most influential tech and entertainment groups, managing a diverse portfolio of digital ventures.

Easygo originally started in the iGaming and online casino sector, developing platforms and technology for global entertainment brands. Its early success with online gaming ventures gave it the financial strength and infrastructure to expand into other areas — including live streaming, digital content, and creator-based platforms. Kick became one of its most significant projects, launched in 2022 as part of a broader strategy to diversify beyond gaming and build a consumer-facing entertainment ecosystem.

As the parent company, Easygo provides Kick with operational resources, technical expertise, and financial backing. It handles corporate functions such as legal compliance, payments, and partnerships, while Kick focuses on community growth and product development. Easygo’s teams in Melbourne oversee product innovation, while additional offices across Europe and Asia support operations and marketing.

Who is the CEO of Kick?

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kick is Ed Craven, an Australian entrepreneur and co-founder of the platform. As of 2025, Craven continues to lead Kick through its rapid global expansion, overseeing product innovation, partnerships, and overall strategic growth. His leadership has been central to transforming Kick from a startup challenger into a major player in the live-streaming industry.

Ed Craven: Background and Early Career

Ed Craven was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. Before founding Kick, he was deeply involved in the iGaming and entertainment technology industries. Along with his business partner Bijan Tehrani, Craven co-founded Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd in 2016. Easygo quickly became a key player in online gaming, powering global entertainment and casino brands.

This experience in building scalable digital products and managing complex global operations became the foundation for Kick’s success. Craven’s exposure to both technology and online communities gave him a unique perspective on what creators wanted from a streaming platform — more freedom, fair pay, and modern technology.

Role and Responsibilities as CEO

As CEO, Ed Craven oversees every major decision related to Kick’s growth, branding, and creator relations. His leadership focuses on three main areas:

1. Strategic Expansion: Craven has guided Kick’s entry into new markets across North America, Europe, and Asia, focusing on global audience reach and infrastructure improvements.
2. Creator Partnerships: He personally negotiates and approves high-profile deals with top streamers, including figures like xQc, Amouranth, and Adin Ross. These partnerships helped Kick gain rapid visibility in the creator economy.
3. Product Development: Craven has led the push for product features that give Kick an edge — such as real-time chat innovations, multistreaming support, and enhanced revenue models for streamers.

Leadership Style and Vision

Craven is known for his hands-on leadership style. Unlike traditional CEOs who manage from afar, he remains active in community discussions and is often visible across Kick’s public communications. His approach emphasizes transparency and speed, encouraging his team to iterate quickly and respond directly to creator feedback.

He envisions Kick not just as a streaming platform, but as a creator ecosystem — where streamers can build sustainable careers, experiment freely, and earn without restrictive rules. This vision aligns with his philosophy of decentralizing online entertainment, giving power back to individual creators rather than large media corporations.

Relationship with Co-Founder Bijan Tehrani

Although Ed Craven runs Kick’s daily operations, his partnership with Bijan Tehrani remains foundational. Tehrani, as the majority shareholder of Easygo Entertainment, provides strategic oversight and financial backing, while Craven executes on operational leadership. This balance has allowed Kick to maintain stability while scaling aggressively.

Together, their complementary roles have built Kick into a streamlined, fast-moving organization that makes bold moves — such as signing multi-million-dollar creator deals and challenging Twitch’s dominance.

Achievements and Impact under His Leadership

Since taking the CEO role in 2022, Craven has achieved several major milestones:

• Rapid Global Growth: By 2025, Kick’s monthly viewing hours surpassed 300 million, making it one of the top live-streaming platforms worldwide.
• Talent Acquisition: Kick signed several of the largest streaming contracts in history, positioning itself as a top destination for creators.
• Community Trust: Despite criticism over content moderation, Craven’s consistent engagement and transparency have built strong loyalty among Kick’s creators.
• Platform Development: Under his leadership, Kick has launched mobile apps, monetization tools, and developer programs — all built to scale its ecosystem.

Kick Annual Revenue and Net Worth

As of October 2025, Kick continues to cement its position as one of the fastest-growing live-streaming platforms in the world. The company’s estimated annual revenue stands at $200 million, driven by rapid global expansion, rising ad deals, and creator partnerships. Its net worth or valuation is estimated at around $2 billion.

Despite operating with a creator-first 95/5 revenue split, Kick’s impressive audience engagement, innovative monetization tools, and strong backing from Easygo Entertainment have made it one of the most valuable privately held streaming platforms of 2025.

Revenue in 2025

Kick’s annual revenue in 2025 is generally estimated in the range of $170 million to $200 million. Some firm trackers place it at about $177 million based on observed traffic, subscription yields, and advertising potential. These figures are derived by comparing Kick’s activity — hours watched, user engagement, and growth trends — to comparable platforms in the live streaming sector.

Because Kick emphasizes a high creator share (streamers keep 95% of revenue), its own take is leaner than that of other platforms. The revenue it retains comes mainly from platform fees, ads, sponsorships, and partnerships. As Kick grows, diversifying these income streams (ads, brand deals, developer tools) is critical to boost its retained margin.

Net Worth

Valuation for Kick as of October 2025 is around $2 billion, but it varies.

Most analyses place its worth between $1.2 billion and $2.5 billion. Some more optimistic forecasts push toward $3 to $5 billion, especially if growth stays strong and monetization improves.

Analysts often apply revenue multiples (5×–10× or higher) to the estimated revenue to reach these valuations. The idea is that Kick’s growth potential, strong user engagement, and creator-friendly model justify premium expectations. It’s also not uncommon to see speculative valuations as high as $5.6 billion, although these tend to rest on assumptions of sustained rapid expansion and profit scaling.

Drivers and Risks to Value

Several factors support the view that Kick’s valuation could rise further. First, its high growth in user engagement and creator signings gives it momentum. Second, the backing by Easygo—an established entertainment and gaming firm—provides stability and capital access. Third, its differentiated creator-centric model draws interest in the creator economy space.

Yet there are significant risks. As a private company, Kick lacks full transparency, making these estimates uncertain. Its slim platform margins mean it must scale efficiently to turn growth into profit. Regulatory pressures around content moderation, gambling streams, and international markets could also tighten constraints. If growth slows or monetization weakens, valuation multiples could compress.

Outlook into Profitability

Although Kick has not yet publicly confirmed consistent profitability, many insiders and analysts believe it is on the cusp of breaking even. With increases in ad revenue, brand partnerships, and developer monetization, Kick’s path toward positive net income seems plausible in the medium term.

In 2025, the company’s focus is on scaling responsibly, improving retention, and expanding monetization without compromising its creator promise.

How Kick Works and Makes Money

Kick is a livestreaming platform designed to reward creators more fairly while building a sustainable business model around advertising, partnerships, and premium features. Although it’s often compared to Twitch, Kick operates with a distinct structure that emphasizes creator retention, platform growth, and brand collaborations.

Platform Model and Functionality

Kick operates as a livestreaming and content-hosting platform where users can watch, chat, and interact with streamers in real time. It supports a wide variety of categories including gaming, entertainment, music, sports, and lifestyle content.

Creators on Kick broadcast through their accounts, and viewers can engage through chat, subscriptions, and tipping. Kick’s infrastructure allows multistreaming (streaming on multiple platforms simultaneously) and provides advanced chat moderation tools, customizable stream layouts, and API integrations for third-party extensions.

The platform’s user experience is built to mirror Twitch’s familiarity while simplifying creator payouts and offering greater transparency. Its main differentiator is its creator-first revenue split, which gives 95% of subscription income directly to streamers — a bold move that draws talent away from other platforms.

Kick’s Creator Monetization System

Kick’s revenue engine revolves around empowering creators to earn directly. Streamers can make money on the platform through several key methods:

• Subscriptions: Viewers subscribe to their favorite channels for a monthly fee (usually $5). Kick only keeps 5% of this, while 95% goes directly to the streamer.
• Tipping: Kick has an integrated tipping system where streamers receive 100% of the donation value. Kick does not take a cut, using it as a creator retention strategy.
• Partner and Affiliate Programs: Kick’s Partner Program offers additional incentives like hourly pay, bonus payments for engagement, and promotional support. These programs are tailored to streamers’ activity levels and consistency.
• Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships: High-profile creators can earn extra income through Kick-sponsored deals, product placements, and branded content collaborations.

This system positions Kick as one of the most lucrative platforms for creators in terms of direct income potential.

How Kick Makes Money

While Kick pays creators generously, it also generates revenue through several channels that balance its business model.

Advertising and Sponsorships

Kick earns a growing share of its income from advertising partnerships. As of 2025, the platform has rolled out mid-roll ads and brand integrations that run during streams, as well as sponsorship deals tied to major events and creators. Kick also sells banner ad placements and homepage sponsorships to brands seeking exposure to its fast-growing global audience.

In addition, Kick forms partnerships with companies across gaming, sports, and technology sectors. Its involvement in Formula 1’s “Kick Sauber” team is an example of using brand sponsorship to drive visibility and cross-promotion.

Platform Fees and Revenue Share

Although creators keep 95% of subscriptions, the remaining 5% retained by Kick still contributes significantly to its revenue at scale. As the user base and subscriber count increase, this small percentage accumulates into a stable income stream for the company.

Kick also benefits from ad revenue sharing with streamers. Some categories and partner tiers include a split where Kick retains a portion of ad income in exchange for hosting, infrastructure, and monetization tools.

Premium Features and API Services

Kick has introduced developer APIs and premium tools that integrate third-party software into its ecosystem. It earns through API access licensing and advanced analytics services offered to larger creators and partner agencies. The platform also explores paid features for enhanced stream customization and business tools for creators, such as analytics dashboards and monetization reports.

Event Sponsorship and Promotions

Kick leverages event-based revenue through co-branded tournaments, eSports events, and real-world promotions. The company often collaborates with gaming tournaments, sports organizations, and influencer agencies to co-host large-scale live events. These partnerships bring in sponsorship dollars and help expand Kick’s brand visibility.

How Much Kick Pays Creators

Kick offers one of the most creator-friendly pay models in the streaming ecosystem. With 95% of subscription revenue going to creators, it outpaces the standard splits on Twitch and YouTube. Adding in hourly incentives and partner bonuses, high-performing creators can achieve far higher effective earnings.

Subscription Revenue Split (95/5)

One of Kick’s headline features is its 95/5 revenue split on subscriptions. Creators receive 95% of the subscription fee; Kick retains 5% as its cut (to cover processing, platform expenses, etc.).

For example, if a viewer pays $5 to subscribe, the streamer receives about $4.75.

This approach is far more generous to creators than many competing platforms, making Kick attractive especially to mid-tier and growing streamers.

Hourly & Partner Incentives

In addition to subscription revenue, Kick runs Partner / Creator incentive programs that may pay creators based on performance, viewership, or hours streamed.

Some streamers report being paid $300/hour or more under high-engagement streams or premium contract conditions.

However, these hourly or bonus payments often depend on meeting strict platform metrics and being part of Kick’s premium partner tiers. Not all creators qualify.

Conditions & Caveats

• Multi-streaming (streaming the same content simultaneously on other platforms) may reduce the split for some partner streamers. Some community reports claim Kick drops to a 50/50 split in that case.
• Kick’s policies on gambling or casino content have changed; as of 2025, streams in those categories might face restrictions or exclude certain partner payouts.
• Eligibility for benefits like hourly pay requires meeting criteria (viewership thresholds, streaming consistency, content compliance).

Comparison: Kick vs Twitch vs YouTube & Other Platforms

Here’s a breakdown of how Kick earnings for creators compare with Twitch, YouTube, and other social networking platforms:

Twitch

• Subscription split: The standard arrangement on Twitch for many creators is 50/50: streamers get half of each subscription.
• Partner Plus / 70/30 split: For higher-performing creators, Twitch offers a 70/30 split on subscriptions (creator getting 70%) for qualifying partners. Twitch recently removed a $100,000 cap on the 70/30 split, meaning creators now keep that rate on all subscription revenue.
• Ads & bits: Twitch also monetizes with advertisements, Bits, and other features. Creators often share ad revenue, but margins vary. Smaller creators may be limited to 50% of ad revenue initially, and those who meet ad-incentive requirements could get up to ~55% or more.

Because Twitch retains more of the subscription income and has stricter thresholds for elevated splits, many creators see lower per-subscriber earnings compared to Kick’s 95% split.

YouTube / YouTube Live

• Revenue splits: For live stream revenue like Super Chats (tips) and memberships, creators usually receive about 70%, with YouTube keeping 30%.
• Ad revenue & VOD: YouTube has a strong advantage in ad revenue from both live and VOD content. Creators can monetize old videos long after streaming, which can lead to passive income.
• Scale & algorithm: YouTube’s algorithmic discovery and large user base often lead to greater reach for creators, compensating for a less aggressive revenue split. For creators with large audiences, total earnings on YouTube can eclipse what they might make on Kick, despite Kick’s more favorable split.

Other Platforms / Alternatives

• Some platforms (like Facebook Gaming, Trovo, or smaller niche services) vary in split arrangements, but many use splits in the 50-70% range for creators, with platform cuts of 30-50% or more.
• Some newer or niche platforms may try to emulate Kick’s aggressive 90-95% splits, though sustainable models at scale are often harder to maintain.

Conclusion

Kick’s ownership story is a reminder that innovation doesn’t always come from big corporations. It came from two individuals, Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven, who saw a gap in the market and filled it with boldness and speed. Under Easygo Entertainment, Kick has grown into a serious force in streaming — independent, aggressive, and creator-driven. As the platform expands globally, its privately held structure continues to give it something the giants lack: the freedom to take risks and move fast.

FAQs

Who owns the Kick platform?

Kick is owned by Easygo Entertainment Pty Ltd, an Australian entertainment and technology company founded by Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven. Easygo fully owns Kick Streaming Pty Ltd, the legal entity that operates the Kick platform. Tehrani holds about two-thirds (≈66.7%) of the parent company, while Craven owns the remaining one-third (≈33.3%) through his firm, Ashwood Holdings Pty Ltd.

Is Kick richer than Twitch?

No, Twitch is still richer than Kick in overall revenue and valuation. Twitch, owned by Amazon, generates billions of dollars annually from ads, subscriptions, and Prime integrations. In comparison, Kick’s estimated 2025 revenue is around $180–200 million, with a valuation of $2–2.5 billion. However, Kick’s rapid growth rate and higher creator payout structure make it one of Twitch’s strongest challengers.

How much of Kick does Stake own?

Despite frequent rumors, Stake.com does not own Kick. Both Kick and Stake share the same founders — Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani — and both are linked through the parent company Easygo Entertainment. Stake and Kick operate as separate entities under the same ownership network but are not subsidiaries of each other.

Is Kick CEO a billionaire?

As of 2025, Ed Craven, the CEO of Kick, is widely considered to be a billionaire, primarily due to his combined ownership of Kick and Easygo Entertainment, as well as his involvement in other successful ventures like Stake. His personal net worth is estimated to exceed $1 billion, making him one of Australia’s youngest tech billionaires.

How much did Adin make from Kick?

Popular streamer Adin Ross reportedly signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Kick in 2023 valued at around $30–50 million. The deal included revenue-sharing agreements, partnership bonuses, and promotional incentives. Adin’s exact earnings are private, but he remains one of the highest-paid creators on the platform.

Do Kick streamers get paid?

Yes, Kick streamers do get paid. The platform offers one of the industry’s most generous payout systems — creators keep 95% of subscription revenue and receive 100% of tips and donations through Kick’s integrated systems. Partnered creators can also earn through sponsorships, hourly incentives, and ad revenue programs managed by the platform.

What pays more, YouTube or Kick?

For most creators, Kick pays more directly due to its 95/5 revenue split, compared to YouTube’s 70/30. However, YouTube has a much larger viewer base and stronger ad infrastructure, which can generate higher total income for creators with large audiences. Kick’s advantage lies in fairness and transparency, while YouTube’s comes from its massive scale.

How much does Kick pay?

Kick pays creators 95% of subscription revenue — meaning if a viewer subscribes for $5, the streamer keeps $4.75. Additionally, creators keep 100% of direct donations made through Kick’s tipping feature. Some partnered or high-profile streamers also receive hourly pay rates or exclusive contracts, depending on their audience size and engagement levels.