A TikTok Clone is Skyrocketing in Popularity

Summary

• With TikTok facing a potential US ban, the Chinese social media app Rednote is experiencing a surge in popularity as a potential replacement.
• Combining elements of Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, Rednote boasts a $17 billion valuation, backed by Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Tencent.
• Former TikTok creators and users are migrating to Rednote, propelling it to the top of the US App Store charts.

A new social media app, Rednote, is rapidly gaining popularity as US users and creators seek alternatives to TikTok, which faces a potential imminent ban. Following legal battles throughout 2024, including a House-passed ban bill in March and a lawsuit from the Department of Justice and 13 states in October, TikTok's future in the US hangs in the balance. Unless the Supreme Court intervenes, TikTok will be removed from app stores starting January 19, 2025, with the company itself acknowledging potential shutdown.

This looming ban has driven users towards alternatives, with Rednote (known as Xiaohongshu or XHS in China) emerging as a leading contender. Often described as a blend of Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, Rednote, founded in 2013, initially focused on product reviews before evolving into a major platform for Chinese beauty and health influencers. Boasting a user base where women constitute over 70%, it holds a $17 billion valuation (July 2024), backed by Tencent and Alibaba.

Chinese Social Media App Rednote May Be First in Line for TikTok's Throne

Rednote's design, incorporating elements similar to TikTok and Pinterest, has propelled it to the top of the US App Store charts, surpassing apps like Lemon8, ChatGPT, and Threads. As of January 13th, it's the most downloaded app in the US, attracting a wave of TikTok creators. Videos documenting Rednote's rise are already viral on platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram, with Chinese users on the platform even welcoming the influx of American users.

The irony of TikTok's potential demise due to its Chinese ownership, only to be potentially replaced by another Chinese app, is not lost on many. Rednote's sustained popularity remains to be seen in the coming days, after which TikTok's fate will be clearer. A complete US removal of TikTok could lead to an even greater surge in Rednote's user base.