- Fueled by the global expansion of short drama and AI apps, Chinese mobile applications have achieved significant growth in downloads and monetization capabilities worldwide.
- TikTok downloads saw a 7% quarter-on-quarter increase in the first quarter.
ByteDance's TikTok reached a historic milestone in the first quarter of 2026, with its global monthly active users surpassing the 2 billion mark for the first time.
According to the latest data from Sensor Tower, despite its already massive user base, the app's downloads still managed a 7% quarter-on-quarter increase.
The figures underscore its strong user engagement and further cement TikTok's dominance in the global mobile internet landscape.
Prior to this, TikTok had already claimed the top spot globally for app downloads, in-app purchase revenue, and total time spent in 2025.
In March of this year, TikTok also reached a strategic partnership with Apple, allowing subscribers to play full Apple Music songs directly within the app.
This initiative has enriched the short-video platform's content ecosystem, boosting retention rates and overall engagement among global users.
Other applications under ByteDance have also delivered stellar performances in the global market, building a robust ecosystem of content and utility tools.
The video editing tool CapCut saw a 9% revenue increase this quarter, with its newly launched AI commercial ad templates gaining popularity among small cross-border merchants.
As TikTok surges ahead, Chinese non-gaming mobile apps are also experiencing a new wave of growth and structural diversification in overseas markets.
Short drama apps, represented by FreeReels, performed exceptionally well in the first quarter, posting impressive download numbers in emerging markets thanks to effective localization strategies.
Additionally, utility apps such as the AI video generation platform PixVerse have also achieved rapid expansion in scale.
Giants in the cross-border e-commerce sector maintained robust growth momentum as well, with Temu and Shein reaching 530 million and 440 million monthly active users this quarter, respectively.
