Phones with TikTok preinstalled selling for $50,000 as US app stores block downloads

Entrepreneurs have quickly capitalized on TikTok’s brief unavailability in the U.S., selling phones preloaded with the app for thousands of dollars.

On January 19, 2025, ByteDance temporarily shut down TikTok in the U.S. to avoid a looming deadline that would have forced the China-based company to either sell the app to a U.S. entity or face a national security ban. The service remained offline for American users until President Trump intervened on January 20, suspending the ban until April.

While TikTok has been restored for existing users, the app is still unavailable for download from U.S. app stores. This has driven up demand for devices with the app pre-installed. Phones and tablets loaded with TikTok are now being listed at steep prices on online platforms.

One notable listing on eBay offers a brand-new Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max with TikTok preloaded for a staggering $50,000 or “Best Offer,” attracting nearly 80 watchers. Other listings are priced in the hundreds of dollars, with some devices featuring active TikTok accounts, while others simply have the app installed without an account link.

Despite the app’s temporary status, the legal framework to ban TikTok, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, targets app stores and web-hosting services rather than individuals. This has created an opportunity for sellers to capitalize on TikTok’s restricted availability in the U.S.