On August 18, China’s most famous livestream seller Xinba (Xin Youzhi) shocked his audience by announcing his retirement during a Kuaishou broadcast.
He explained that he was suffering from a serious lung illness and could no longer continue streaming, adding that he would hand over management of his business empire to his wife and longtime partner Chu Ruixue.
His departure comes at a turbulent moment, as Cotton Code, the sanitary pad brand he founded under Xinxuan Group, faces a damaging safety scandal.
In recent weeks, consumer-commissioned tests claimed that certain Cotton Code products contained excessive levels of thiourea, a chemical long listed as hazardous in China and associated with potential cancer risks after prolonged exposure. One sample was reported to contain as much as 16,653 μg/g, igniting fierce debate online and triggering public distrust.
The story spread quickly across Weibo and other platforms, turning Xinba from a symbol of China’s booming livestream economy into the center of a health and consumer rights controversy. Cotton Code, launched in 2017 as Xinba’s flagship brand, had been promoted to millions of buyers under his name and was once hailed as a model for influencer-led commerce.
Xinxuan has denied that the products are unsafe, citing official inspections that found the sanitary pads compliant with national standards. Still, the controversy has damaged the company’s reputation and led many to view Xinba’s sudden retirement as an effort to defuse the backlash while protecting the brand.
Once celebrated as Kuaishou’s “golden goose” with more than 100 million followers, Xinba defined the livestream shopping boom in China and helped turn his company into a market leader in under a decade.
His exit now marks the end of an era for the industry. Whether Chu Ruixue can rebuild trust and steer Xinxuan through the crisis remains to be seen, but the scandal has already left a lasting mark on the future of Chinese livestream commerce.
Sources: Znews
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