Investing in TikTok isn't as straightforward as investing in other popular social media companies. The popular short-form video app is currently owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, which doesn't trade publicly on any stock exchanges. But there's a way to get a piece of the action in one of the world's fastest-growing digital media platforms. Here's what you need to know if you're interested in investing in TikTok.
Is TikTok publicly traded?
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese tech company. However, in late 2025, the U.S. government was closing in on a deal for the sale of TikTok's U.S. operations. Technology giant Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL), private equity firm Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi's MGX would be the main investors in the deal, holding a 45% interest in TikTok USA. ByteDance would own 19.9% of the entity while other existing investors would hold the remaining 35%.
IPO
The best ways to invest in TikTok
You can't currently invest in TikTok since it's a private company. However, a few publicly traded investment companies hold shares, which anyone can buy.
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Dividend yield | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| KKR (NYSE:KKR) | $92.1 billion | 0.71% | Capital Markets |
| SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTB.Y) | $604.5 billion | 0.14% | Wireless Telecommunication Services |
| Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) | $444.4 billion | 1.29% | Software |
1. KKR
NYSE: KKR
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2. SoftBank
OTC: SFTB.Y
Key Data Points
NYSE: ORCL
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Cloud computing giant Oracle (ORCL -3.37%) was closing in on a deal to become one of the main investors in TikTok USA in late 2025. The company was partnering with Silver Lake and MGX to own a combined 45% interest in that business. Additionally, Oracle would oversee the app's security operations.
Should I invest in TikTok?
TikTok is an exciting business for investors. It popularized the short-form video format, built an incredible content-recommendation algorithm, and is working on new ad technology to monetize it. But it's also a potentially high-risk investment.
Here are a few reasons why you might want to invest in TikTok if it were to ever go public:
- TikTok is an uber-popular platform for delivering short-form videos.
- It's delivering healthy user growth.
- It's increasingly monetizing this platform with new ad technology, positioning it to deliver strong revenue growth.
On the other hand, there are some risks to investing in TikTok that investors need to consider before buying shares, including:
- ByteDance is facing regulatory challenges. Many countries have banned or are considering banning TikTok, including the U.S. The Trump administration was working on a deal to facilitate the sale of a majority stake in ByteDance's U.S. operations so that TikTok could continue operating in the country and resume its distribution through app stores. The company's ties to China and potential future regulatory changes could affect the stock if it ever went public.
- The company is facing increasing competition from other technology companies, including YouTube, Meta Platforms (META -2.08%), and X.
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Will TikTok go public in the future?
TikTok didn't seem to be a likely candidate to go public anytime soon. In late 2025, the company's parent, ByteDance, was working on a deal to sell a majority stake in its U.S. operations to new investors, including Oracle. The technology company would take over the security of the app to prevent China from potentially spying on users. However, while this deal would enable TikTok to continue operating in the U.S., it likely won't pave the way for a potential future initial public offering (IPO).
FAQ
How to invest in TikTok: FAQ
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