TikTok Maintains Pole Position as World’s Highest-Earning Non-Game App

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By Ding Yi / Feb 16, 2021 12:14 PM / Business & Tech

Photo: VCG

TikTok retained its crown as the world’s highest-earning non-game app in January, capitalizing on its growth in its home market in China.

Last month, the ByteDance-owned short video app raked in nearly $128 million in revenue, 3.8 times higher than what it generated during the same period last year, according to statistics provided by research firm SensorTower.

About 82% of TikTok’s total January revenue was from China where it is known as Douyin, followed by 8% from the U.S. and 2% from Turkey, the statistics showed.

This year, Douyin was the exclusive virtual red packet partner of China Central Television (CCTV) for the Spring Festival gala aired on the eve of the Lunar New Year on Feb. 11. Sponsoring the red envelope giveaway on the country’s most watched TV gala is considered a golden opportunity to expand an app’s user base.

Meanwhile, TikTok is still hoping to make gains in the U.S. market, where the Biden government is reviewing the previous government’s policies towards the short video app.

TikTok is reportedly mulling the launch of several new features for a planned expansion into the U.S’ e-commerce market, including a tool that will allow the app’s users to share links to products and earn commission on sales. The app is also planning to roll out livestreamed shopping in an attempt to copy Douyin’s success in this field in the Chinese market.

Contact reporter Ding Yi (yiding@caixin.com)

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