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From videos to commerce
TikTok has launched TikTok Shop in France, Germany, and Italy, letting users buy products without leaving the app by clicking links in videos or using the Shop tab.
“TikTok Shop lands in France, at the crossroads of influence and e-commerce”
Alexandre Mahé, partner at EY Fabernovel, called the move “This is a mini-revolution,” and said the United States launch “has been a hit,” especially in the hygiene and beauty category.
La Tribune also framed the push as a step toward a super-app model, noting that TikTok is “a social network and an e-commerce platform” but “does not yet open to messaging apps; it is not yet a super-app.”
TechCrunch described TikTok’s broader road to that model, saying the video app has added TikTok Shop, a map for local discovery, robust search, games, and hotel booking capabilities while pursuing a fintech license.
In the background of that evolution, TechCrunch pointed to China’s super-app ecosystem, including WeChat, which it described as combining “Facebook, WhatsApp, Apple Pay, and an app store all rolled into a single platform.”
Sports, travel, and payments
TechCrunch said TikTok launched a dedicated hub for the FIFA World Cup in early June, where users can see scores, match schedules, standings, trending videos, highlights, and videos from players.
The same report said the World Cup hub was made possible through TikTok’s Sports-focused product called “TikTok GamePlan,” designed to let sports teams, leagues, and broadcasters drive discovery and engagement on the platform.
For travel, TechCrunch reported that in May TikTok launched TikTok GO in the United States, enabling users to discover and book hotels, attractions, and experiences directly within the app.
On payments, TechCrunch said that in March Reuters reported TikTok had applied to Brazil’s central bank for approval to operate as a financial technology company offering lending and payment services, seeking two licenses for prepaid accounts and direct credit provision.
La Tribune added that regulation could be a barrier for super-app development, warning that an analysis of privacy policies shows meeting GDPR principles of transparency, data minimization, data retention, and security is “a real challenge.”
Licenses, competition, and growth
TechCrunch said TikTok Shop began testing in 2021 and launched in the U.S. in 2023, and it claimed TikTok Shop grew its U.S. sales by 407% in 2024 and another 108% in 2025 to reach $15.82 billion.
“TikTok, with billions of users worldwide, is evolving from its traditional short-video service status into a "super app" that consolidates all digital needs in one place”
The report also stated that as of last year, the company accounted for 18.2% of total social commerce in the U.S., with that number expected to reach 24.1% by 2027.
La Tribune connected the super-app direction to competition questions, noting that an app bringing together many services could be accused of abusing a dominant position and pointing to GAFA sanctions, including that Apple was fined €1.8 billion by the European Commission for abusing a dominant position.
TechCrunch described TikTok’s fintech push as a way to branch beyond social media into a digital ecosystem by bringing financial services into its app.
Zamin.uz similarly portrayed TikTok’s strategy as consolidating “all digital needs in one place,” while also emphasizing that the platform is incorporating e-commerce, maps, a search engine, and financial services to reduce switching between apps.
