TikTok Shop has introduced a new feature allowing users to purchase digital gift cards. This makes it easier to help friends and family buy from the millions of products available on the app.
The feature launched strategically during the holiday season, a critical period for the company’s shopping division as it works to prove its market value. This move into digital gifting positions TikTok Shop to compete more directly with e-commerce giants like Amazon and eBay, both of which offer gift cards. TikTok Shop has also recently expanded into luxury retail, another effort to solidify its footing in e-commerce.
Users can load these gift cards with any amount from ten to five hundred dollars. A key feature is the ability to personalize them using a wide variety of animated designs. There are also dedicated animations for thank you cards, birthdays, weddings, and other occasions.
Gift cards are delivered via email, and recipients must have a TikTok account. Once redeemed, the card’s value is instantly credited to their TikTok Balance. Recipients can reply with a thank-you note or even send a gift card in return. However, the gift cards can only be purchased in the United States for now.
TikTok has stated it plans to add more personalization features. By early 2026, users will be able to record or upload video messages to attach to their digital gift cards. A company spokesperson said the experience will also include an interactive unboxing that captures the recipient’s reaction in real time, though further details were not shared.
The launch of digital gift cards follows a significant milestone for TikTok Shop. Over the four days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the app recorded sales of more than five hundred million dollars in the U.S.
Despite this achievement, TikTok Shop faces uncertainty as the sale of the app’s U.S. operations to an American investor group looms. If a sale does not occur, TikTok faces a potential ban in the country. President Trump has extended the deadline to January 23, 2026, leaving the app’s future in the United States hanging in the balance.