TikTok2026-08-19 18:04:13TikTok Explores In-Message Peer-to-Peer Payments as Its Fintech Push Meets US Legal ScrutinyTikTok is developing a feature that could let users send money to each other inside direct messages, according to a Bloomberg report that cited code found in the current US iPhone app release. The company said nothing is being tested in any market and described the work as being at an early stage, with no promise that the feature will launch. The code points to a standard user flow: recipients would need to accept transfers before they expire, senders would receive status updates through push alerts or the inbox, and payments could include a short note. Settlement would run through TikTok Pay, which already operates in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand for TikTok Shop checkout. The move would extend a payments business TikTok already runs through shopping, digital coin purchases, and virtual gifts for creators. At the same time, the company faces unresolved legal pressure in the US, where state attorneys general have tied existing payment tools to allegations involving money laundering, money transmission violations, and risks to children.1260
TikTok2026-08-19 11:53:29TikTok iPhone code points to possible P2P transfers inside direct messagesTikTok may be exploring a feature that would let users send money to friends inside direct messages. According to a TechCrunch report citing Bloomberg on Aug. 18, traces of a peer-to-peer payment tool were found in the current code of TikTok’s U.S. iPhone app, suggesting the social media company is studying a broader push into financial services. The code appears to describe a flow in which recipients must accept funds before they expire, while senders receive status updates through push notifications or an inbox. It also references the option to attach a message to a transfer, a setup described as similar to PayPal-owned Venmo. Bloomberg’s report said transactions would likely be handled by TikTok Pay, the payment service the company already operates in Southeast Asia. TikTok said it is not testing the feature in any market and does not guarantee it will launch. The code does not mention cryptocurrency or stablecoins, placing the effort in the category of traditional fiat P2P payments rather than crypto-based transfers.640
TikTok2026-08-19 03:53:46Bloomberg: TikTok is building peer-to-peer payments, but testing has not startedBloomberg reported that TikTok is developing a peer-to-peer payments feature that would let users send money to each other through direct messages, based on findings from code in the U.S. version of the TikTok app. The code suggests the product flow is already fairly detailed: recipients can tap to accept a payment, senders can attach a note, and status updates are pushed back to the sender in real time. The reported user experience is similar to Venmo, the PayPal-owned payments app. TikTok said the feature has not entered testing in any market at this stage, and the report said there is no indication the company will definitely launch it. Even so, the presence of the code, along with TikTok’s hiring for financial services roles in the U.S. and other markets, suggests the company is exploring the area. Bloomberg also noted that TikTok already has payments experience in Southeast Asia through TikTok Pay, which operates in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand for TikTok Shop purchases. In the first half of 2025, TikTok Shop GMV in Thailand reached $5.419 billion, up 162% year over year. TikTok has more than 1 billion monthly active users globally, including about 170 million in the U.S.1310
