TikTok Develops Peer-to-Peer Payment Feature, Allowing Users to Transfer Money via Private Messages

According to foreign media reports, recent information indicates that TikTok is developing a peer-to-peer payment feature that enables users to transfer funds to other users via direct messages. If officially launched, the feature will be implemented through TikTok Pay, the platform's existing payment product. TikTok Pay is currently available in Southeast Asia and used for purchase settlements on TikTok Shop.

It is learned that references to this feature have appeared in the hidden code of the current U.S. iPhone version of the TikTok app. The code notes that recipients can click to accept payments, while senders can attach a message when initiating a transfer, with a user flow similar to that of existing payment product Venmo.

In response to related inquiries, TikTok stated that the feature has not yet entered the testing phase and remains in early development, with no confirmed plans or timeline for a broad public rollout.

This is not TikTok's first foray into the financial services sector. Earlier in 2026, TikTok submitted an application to the Central Bank of Brazil to operate as a fintech company, offering lending and payment-related services.

As one of the world's leading social media platforms, TikTok has gradually expanded its business boundaries in recent years, rolling out a range of products including search functions, TikTok Shop e-commerce, a local life discovery map, gaming services, and hotel booking features. The entry of social platforms into financial services has become an industry trend: X, formerly known as Twitter, recently launched its X Money feature, which allows users to transfer funds to one another.