IS TIKTOK STOCK LISTED ON A STOCK EXCHANGE?
If you are browsing the internet looking for an investment platform where to buy TikTok shares, look no further. We have bad news: TikTok isn't listed on the stock exchange. Hence, you cannot acquire shares of the popular social media platform.
At the end of this article, we detail some alternatives to invest.
Who Owns TikTok?
TikTok is owned privately by ByteDance, a Chinese internet technology company headquartered in Beijing.
Founded by Zhang Yiming, Liang Rubo and a team of others in 2012, ByteDance developed the video-sharing social networking services and apps TikTok and its Chinese-specific counterpart Douyin. The company is also the developer of the news platform Toutiao. As of 2022, ByteDance hosts 1 billion monthly active users across all of its platforms.
Navigating Investment Opportunities Beyond TikTok: A Guide to Alternatives
With TikTok's ownership firmly in the hands of the private company ByteDance, investors looking to participate in the growth of social media and digital content creation must look towards alternative avenues. Fortunately, the public markets offer several paths to gain exposure to the burgeoning tech and social media sectors. Here are strategic alternatives to consider:
Public Social Media and Tech Giants: Investing in publicly traded companies in the social media and technology sectors can offer similar growth potential. Facebook's parent company, Meta Platforms (FB), Twitter (now part of X, formerly Twitter, Inc.), Snap Inc. (SNAP), and Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL), the parent company of YouTube, are key players in the digital content space, offering robust platforms for content creation, sharing, and advertising.
Emerging Market Tech Companies: Looking beyond U.S.-based companies, investors can find value in emerging market tech companies with a strong presence in social media, e-commerce, and digital payments. Tencent Holdings (TCEHY), with its social media platform WeChat and Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA), through its e-commerce and digital media ventures, provide diversified exposure to China's tech ecosystem. Similarly, companies like Naver Corporation (035420.KS) in South Korea and Sea Limited (SE) in Singapore offer digital content and social media exposure in their respective markets.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): ETFs focusing on technology and social media offer diversified exposure to a basket of companies in the sector. The Global X Social Media ETF (SOCL) and the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ), which tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index, include holdings in major tech and social media companies, allowing investors to spread risk across multiple entities.
Digital Advertising and Marketing Firms: Companies specializing in digital advertising and marketing solutions are integral to the social media ecosystem. Investing in firms like The Trade Desk (TTD), which provides a platform for digital ad buying, or Roku (ROKU), which integrates advertising into its streaming platform, can offer indirect exposure to social media content consumption growth.
Content Creation and Distribution Platforms: Companies that provide platforms for content creation, distribution, and monetization represent another investment avenue. Spotify Technology SA (SPOT), for instance, allows for the distribution and monetization of audio content, including podcasts that have seen explosive growth in recent years.
Before making any investment decisions, it's crucial to perform due diligence and consider the investment's alignment with your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon. While direct investment in TikTok is not an option, these alternatives can provide a pathway to participating in the dynamic growth of social media and digital content.
TikTok is owned privately by ByteDance, a Chinese internet technology company headquartered in Beijing.
How to Invest in Stocks
Set your investment goals. Whether a long-term investor or a day trader, your plan should detail your profit expectation and the stop-loss level at which you will liquidate the trade.
Choose the Broker that best fits your strategy. The Broker will allow you to buy and sell the Stock. This step is vital; opening an account with a Broker that you end up unsatisfied with will be problematic. Although you may open an account with another, it's better to pick the right Broker straight from scratch.
Open a Trading Account with the Broker. Most Brokers will ask you to upload an ID and proof of residence.
Deposit Funds. Funding alternatives range from credit cards to bank transfers and e-wallets. The available options will depend on each platform. Trading accounts are available in US dollars (USD), euros (EUR), pound sterling (GBP), Swiss francs (CHF), and Australian dollars (AUD) as the base currency.
Buy the chosen asset and Apply your Investment Strategy. Once the Broker confirms that your account is funded and ready to trade, it's time to buy the asset and apply your trading strategy.
Review your performance and calibrate the strategy as needed. You can't expect to get it right from the beginning. When investing, especially while you are starting, you will make mistakes. That's a given. Learn from them, improve and twitch your strategy as needed.
However, before you proceed, you must take into account that:
Past performance doesn't mean future returns. You will hear stories about that "Trader that made a fortune". Don't assume an investment will continue to do well simply because it's done well in the past.
Only invest what you can afford to lose. Make sure to keep your bank balance positive. There is no certainty that it will go well.
Don't unquestioningly trust what you read online. People are biased, and even the top financial gurus make mistakes. Learn, investigate and reach your conclusions. Reading financial media will help you make more informed decisions, but do not take it as proven truth.
Stay Calm. Financial market volatility is scary, and it is easier to say than to do, but remember that it is hard to make good decisions while anxious. If you are getting too worried about your investments, then you should invest a smaller amount of money.