TikTok Building Feature to Send Money via DMs
TikTok is developing a feature to let users send each other money through direct messages (DMs), according to Bloomberg, which discovered references to this functionality hidden in the code of the app’s US iPhone version. It would utilize TikTok Pay, the app’s existing payment system currently live in parts of Southeast Asia.
TikTok has downplayed the report, stating that the feature is not being tested and may never be released. The code suggests a design similar to popular peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo, where users can tap to accept payments before they expire, and senders receive updates via push notifications or their inbox. Users could also attach notes to payments, much like on Venmo.
This move aligns with TikTok’s broader strategy of expanding beyond video content and integrating commerce into the app. The company already runs TikTok Pay in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand for TikTok Shop purchases, but a US rollout would be a significant expansion.
Given TikTok’s immense popularity, particularly among younger users, introducing direct payments could further solidify its position as a "super app" and intensify competition with platforms like Venmo and Zelle.
ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, has prior experience with payments through Douyin, the Chinese version of the app.