TikTok Stock: Can You Invest?

TikTok stock does not exist, and you cannot buy it. But it is possible to gain exposure to the company in other ways.

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.


The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

Published · 2 min read
Profile photo of Alana Benson
Written by Alana Benson
Lead Writer
Profile photo of Arielle O'Shea
Edited by Arielle O'Shea
Lead Assigning Editor
Fact Checked

TikTok is practically inescapable these days, but that doesn’t mean you can buy its stock.

Can you buy TikTok stock?

No. Neither TikTok, nor its parent company ByteDance, are publicly traded companies, so you cannot purchase stock in either of them. However, there are some ways to gain exposure to TikTok or buy shares in other social media platforms.

If you are going to buy any stock, you’ll need to have a brokerage account first.

» View our picks for the best brokerage accounts

Is there any way to invest in TikTok?

While you can’t directly invest in TikTok stock, there are a few roundabout ways to gain exposure to it.

The first is to invest in publicly traded companies that hold privately held shares of ByteDance, such as SoftBank Group (SFTBY)

SoftBank Group. SoftBank Vision Fund. Accessed Jun 3, 2024.
.

The second is to work for TikTok. TikTok employees, of which there are about 7,000 in the U.S., may be granted company stock, and they may also have an opportunity to sell their investments.

Advertisement
NerdWallet rating 

4.8

/5
NerdWallet rating 

5.0

/5
NerdWallet rating 

4.6

/5

Fees 

$0

per online equity trade

Fees 

$0.005

per share; as low as $0.0005 with volume discounts

Fees 

$0

Account minimum 

$0

Account minimum 

$0

Account minimum 

$0

Promotion 

None

no promotion available at this time

Promotion 

Exclusive!

U.S. residents who open a new IBKR Pro account will receive a 0.25% rate reduction on margin loans. Terms apply.

Promotion 

Earn up to $10,000

when you transfer your investment portfolio to Public.

According to a Reuter’s report, people familiar with the matter stated that ByteDance will allow its shares held by U.S. employees to vest, meaning that those employees can cash out their restricted shares. Once their shares vest, U.S. employees can exchange their shares for cash through the company’s stock buyback program

.

But just because you can gain some slight exposure to TikTok doesn’t mean you should. Going to such an effort to gain exposure to one stock may not be worth your time. If you’re looking to build long-term wealth, a better strategy may be to invest in funds that hold the stock of many companies, such as index funds or exchange-traded funds.

Will TikTok go public in the future?

It’s hard to say. A few years ago there were reports that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, was planning to go public, but that has yet to happen. Moreover, Reuters’ exclusive report suggested ByteDance’s move to allow its U.S. employees to cash in their vested shares is a sign that the company may not be planning to go public anytime soon.

What about the TikTok ban?

ByteDance is under a lot of pressure to sell TikTok. Currently, ByteDance will have to sell TikTok by Jan. 19, 2025, or the social media platform will be banned in the U.S. The ban will prohibit app stores from offering TikTok and will prevent internet hosting services from supporting it. There have been several challenges to the law — including lawsuits from TikTok content creators and one from TikTok itself. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hear oral arguments for the case in September 2024.

What does this mean for a potential TikTok stock? The future is uncertain, but if a public company buys TikTok, you may be able to buy stock in that company.

Other social media platforms

One of the main social media platform sites you can buy stock in is Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp). You can also buy stock in Pinterest.

MORE LIKE THISInvestingStocks
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.
Nerdwallet advisors logo

Get a custom financial plan and unlimited access to a Certified Financial Planner

Illustration
Advertisement