TikTok owner ByteDance’s overseas sales jump in 2024 despite US hurdles: report

ByteDance’s total revenue is said to have risen to US$155 billion last year, placing the unicorn among the world’s top internet giants

Reading Time:2 minutes

TikTok’s offices in Culver City, California. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:00pm, 11 Apr 2025

TikTok’s parent ByteDance is said to have recorded a 63 per cent surge in overseas sales in 2024, driven primarily by the short-video app’s growth, in a sign that the Chinese social media giant remains resilient despite political headwinds in the US.

ByteDance’s overseas revenue reached US$39 billion last year, with TikTok accounting for most of the sales, according to a report on Thursday by US tech media outlet The Information. ByteDance, China’s largest unicorn, does not publicly disclose its financial performance. The company did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

International markets made up a quarter of ByteDance’s total sales, which rose 29 per cent to US$155 billion, according to the report.

The performance places the firm among the world’s top internet companies, alongside US social media powerhouse Meta Platforms, which generated US$164.5 billion last year, and is nearly double the revenue of its Chinese competitor Tencent Holdings, which posted US$91.9 billion in sales.

Beijing has reportedly instructed ByteDance to hold off on signing a deal to divest TikTok’s US assets due to the new tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters

ByteDance has been expanding its TikTok Shop e-commerce business to more overseas markets, including Spain and Ireland last year, to compete with brands like Shein and Temu.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x