TikTok fans are getting creative after the app vanished from US app stores over the weekend. With no way to download it, thousands of eBay sellers are now offering phones with TikTok already installed — and some are charging a small fortune for them.
The app briefly disappeared from app stores on Saturday, following a federal law that banned TikTok unless it was sold to a US-based company. While it returned for existing users after a 12-hour blackout, new downloads remain blocked. This has sparked a surge in eBay listings for phones with TikTok pre-loaded, with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to jaw-dropping amounts like $21,000 — or even a million!
As of Thursday, a quick search for “TikTok phone” on eBay turned up over 27,000 results. While some listings are marked as sold, it’s unclear if buyers are actually paying the sky-high prices.
The ban, which could fine companies up to $5,000 per user accessing TikTok, has left the app’s future in the US uncertain. President Trump signed an executive order delaying the ban for 75 days, but a permanent solution is still up in the air. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is reportedly in talks to sell the app, but nothing is set in stone yet.