TikTok reaches a $10 billion user spending benchmark

A new report says video-sharing platform TikTok is the first non-game app to generate $10 billion in global consumer spending and is expected to become the highest-earning app ever.

App intelligence provider data.ai also identified Candy Crush Saga from Activision Blizzard, Honor of Kings from Tencent, Monster Strike from Mixi, and Clash of Clans from Supercell as reaching the milestone.

The Monday report said Candy Crush has more than $12 billion in lifetime user spending, making it the top earner. Google Play and iOS App Store revenue are used to calculate totals. However, TikTok is expected to surpass the popular game.

By 2024, TikTok could be the highest-earning mobile app ever, earning $15 billion. TikTok has surpassed the world's most profitable mobile game, per Lexi Sydow, head of insights at data.ai, who introduced the report. Consumers spend over $11 million per day tipping their favorite content creators.

“TikTokers are poised to spend a 40-hour work week each month in the app by 2024, [rising] 22% from 2023,” she said.

TikTok's in-app "coins" purchases for influencer gifts account for the spending. TikTok keeps 50% of these gifts, which reward content creators.

Tinder and YouTube are the next closest apps to $10 billion, but TikTok leads by $2–3 billion as 2023 ends, according to the data provider.