How to Buy ByteDance Stock
Interested in adding TikTok to your investment portfolio? Read on to find out how you can invest in it through its owner, ByteDance.
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Shortcut: Want to invest in pre-IPO companies like ByteDance and other top startups? EquityZen offers a chance for accredited investors to invest in private companies before they're public. Join now to unlock access.
Invest in Private Companies
- Invest in pre-IPO companies through an EquityZen fund.
- $10,000 minimum investment
- Available to accredited investors only
ByteDance forever changed the world of social media through TikTok's short-form videos.
Luckily for you, accredited investors can invest in this private company through secondary platforms or indirect methods. Continue reading to learn more.
Can You Buy ByteDance Stock?
ByteDance is a private company, so you can't buy its stock directly on a public stock exchange. But that doesn't mean you can't invest in the company. Here's how you can invest in ByteDance:
- Buy shares on secondary platforms
This is where existing shareholders sell their stakes to other investors. You can buy shares of ByteDance on secondary platforms like EquityZen or Hiive. - Invest in KKR (KKR) or SoftBank (SFTBY)
KKR and SoftBank are major investors in ByteDance. When you buy KKR or Softbank stock, you indirectly invest in its holdings, including ByteDance.
Take a closer look at how these investment options work. Read on.
TikTok itself isn't a company, and its creator, ByteDance, is private, so you can't buy its stock easily. Access to this private stock is typically limited to founders, accredited investors, venture capitalists, and institutional investors.
How to Buy ByteDance Stock Before its IPO
If you're looking to invest in ByteDance before the IPO, platforms like EquityZen let accredited investors access private companies before they go public. Here's how to get started:
1. Sign up with EquityZen
2. Search for ByteDance
3. Invest via a fund that owns shares of ByteDance
Register now to unlock exclusive access to hundreds of high-growth startups, like Stripe, SpaceX, Reddit, and OpenAI.
If it's not available yet, users will be notified once it is.
Invest in Private Companies
- Invest in pre-IPO companies through an EquityZen fund.
- $10,000 minimum investment
- Available to accredited investors only
According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), an accredited investor is anyone who:[1]
- Net worth over $1 million, excluding primary residence (individually or with spouse or partner)
- Income over $200,000 (individually) or $300,000 (with spouse or partner) in each of the prior two years and reasonably expects the same for the current year.
How to Indirectly Invest in ByteDance Stock
To indirectly invest in ByteDance stock, consider purchasing shares of its major investors' KKR (KKR) or SoftBank (SFTBY).
You can buy KKR or Softbank shares through any brokerage or trading app like Robinhood. No special qualifications are needed. Here's how to do it:
- Create your account on the website or app.
- Add funds (some brokers have a $0 minimum deposit).
- Search for KKR (ticker symbol KKR) or SoftBank (ticker symbol SFTBY).
- Enter the desired number of shares or dollar amount.
- Place the order.
20 Free Fractional Shares
Open a new Webull individual brokerage account. Make a qualifying single initial deposit of $500 or more during the promotional period to get 20 fractional shares, each valued between $3 - $3,000. Maintain a balance of $500 or more in the account for 30 days or more. Terms and conditions apply.
ByteDance is not yet available on the stock exchange since it hasn't gone public. This also means that ByteDance doesn't have any ticker symbol yet.
Why Invest in ByteDance Stock?
Despite being a private company, here's why you should consider investing in ByteDance stock:
- Strong valuation for a unicorn company
ByteDance is currently valued at $300 billion. For investors, this means that the company has a strong growth potential and could be a good investment opportunity. - Impressive product lineup
Not only does ByteDance have TikTok, but it also has CapCut, TikTok Shop, Lark, Pico, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. ByteDance also has multiple offerings specific to the China market such as Toutiao, Douyin, Fanqie, Xigua, Feishu, and Douyin E-commerce.These products and services show that ByteDance has multiple cash flow sources leading to profit.
- Backed by notable companies
Aside from SoftBank and KKR, ByteDance is also receiving investments from major companies such as Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Weibo, Bank of China, and Sequoia Capital.Institutional investors have access to data that the average investor doesn't, so it's a good idea to watch where their money flows.
ByteDance isn't publicly traded, so its stock price is undisclosed. However, secondary platforms such as Hiive feature a stock price chart showing how much ByteDance private stock is currently trading for in the secondary market.
What is ByteDance's Valuation?
The latest valuation of ByteDance is estimated to be around $300 billion.[2] There's no current information available on any recent funding rounds.
But note that ByteDance's valuation has dropped by 36.94%, from $425 billion in 2021 to $268 billion in 2023.[3] This may be due to a combination of factors but is most likely driven by the regulatory crackdowns on Chinese apps.
Multiple countries have already banned TikTok on government-issued phones, while some, such as India and Nepal, have completely banned it. The U.S. is also planning to ban TikTok, but ByteDance has filed an appeal in federal court.[4]
As of September 2024, ByteDance reportedly offers to buy back or purchase shares from existing staff at $181 each and from former employees at $154.[5]
Alternatives to ByteDance Stock
If you are interested in investing in mobile internet apps, here are some alternatives to ByteDance stock:
- Meta Platforms
Meta (NASDAQ: META) owns the popular social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Its market cap is currently around $1.3 trillion.[6]As of September 2024, Meta declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share.[7]
- Tencent
Tencent (OTCMKTS: TCEHY) is a Chinese conglomerate that owns WeChat, a popular messaging, social media, and digital payment app with over 1.2 billion users.[8] Its market cap is currently around $448.60 billion.[9]As of May 2024, Tencent declared an annual cash dividend of $0.3839 per share.[10]
- Spotify
Spotify (NASDAQ: SPOT) is hailed as the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service with over 626 million users.[11] Its market cap is currently around $68 billion. However, it doesn't pay any dividends.[12]
Bottom Line
ByteDance stock is not publicly traded, but you can invest in it directly through secondary platforms like EquityZen or indirectly invest by buying shares of its major investors, KKR (KKR) or SoftBank (SFTBY).
Keep in mind that pre-IPO investments carry risks. So, be sure to do your research and consider your financial goals and risk tolerance before making any investment decisions.
References
- ^ SEC. Accredited Investor, Retrieved 01/02/2024
- ^ Reuters. TikTok parent ByteDance's valuation hits $300 billion, sources say, Retrieved 02/05/2025
- ^ Nikkei Asia. TikTok creator ByteDance hits $425bn valuation on gray market, Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ NPR. TikTok argued against its U.S. ban in court today. Here's what happened, Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ South China Morning Post. TikTok owner ByteDance offers employee share buy-back at nearly 6% premium over past round, Retrieved 10/28/2024
- ^ Nasdaq. Meta Platforms, Inc. Class A Common Stock (META), Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ Meta. Meta Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend, Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ Tencent. Business - Tencent, Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ Yahoo Finance. Tencent Holdings Limited (TCEHY), Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ Nasdaq. Tencent Holdings Ltd. ADR (TCEHY) Dividend History, Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ Spotify. About Spotify, Retrieved 09/19/2024
- ^ Spotify. Spotify Technology S.A. Ordinary Shares (SPOT), Retrieved 09/19/2024
Stella Magay is a research analyst at CreditDonkey, a personal finance comparison and reviews website. Write to Stella Magay at stella.magay@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
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