What to know:
- The impending TikTok ban is set for Jan. 19 and will disrupt thousands of Americans who rely on the app for income.
- RedNote, the English name for China’s Xiaohongshu, has surged to the top of the U.S. App Store as “TikTok refugees” flock to this alternative.
- Prediction platform Kalshi has become a hotspot for speculation, with markets buzzing over the top U.S. iPhone app and TikTok ban odds.
Never tell a kid they can’t do something—they’ll do it just to prove you wrong. The same rebellious spirit is fueling the rise of RedNote, a new app surging in popularity as the TikTok ban looms.
Set to take effect on Jan. 19, the ban has spurred a wave of “TikTok refugees” seeking a new platform, catapulting RedNote to the top of Apple’s App Store rankings.
While users debate TikTok’s future, prediction market platform Kalshi has facilitated more than $150,000 in bets on another big question: What will be the top iPhone app in the U.S. this coming Saturday?
Right now it’s RedNote, but just how long will RedNote hold its position at the top of the US iPhone app rankings?
TikTok ban?
Yes, TikTok is scheduled to be banned on Jan. 19. The case is currently under review by the Supreme Court, leaving the outcome uncertain.
On Dec. 6, the D.C. Circuit Cout of Appeals unanimously ruled Congress’ “ban-or-divest” bill is constitutional. It essentially means TikTok will be banned unless the Chinese parent company divests.
The U.S. government wants TikTok to change ownership because of a variety of security concerns. For example, Forbes reported that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance planned to track the location of American citizens.
This ban is significant not only because over 150 million Americans use the app but also because it has a major impact on the U.S. economy. According to Oxford Economics, TikTok contributed $24 billion to America’s gross domestic product (GDP), and more than 224,000 jobs.
It isn’t too surprising that these creators are looking for alternate streams of income.
What is RedNote?
RedNote is the English name for a massively popular Chinese social media app called Xiaohongshu. The app was “China’s answer to Instagram.”
It was founded in 2013 and became popular for its makeup, travel, and fashion content. RedNote is owned by a Shanghai-based company, Xingin Information Technology.
The app has blown up in popularity in the last couple of days. According to Reuters, more than 700,000 new users joined the app in two days.
This launched the app to the top of the U.S. App Store on Jan. 14, 2025, where it has sat ever since. With over 40,000 videos using the #TikTokRefugee hashtag, users are making a bold, rebellious statement against the U.S. government’s decision by flocking to another Chinese app.
With over half a million new users in two days and a growing #TikTokRefugee movement, RedNote’s rise feels like a pointed response to the impending ban. Yet the ban itself is still under scrutiny, with the Supreme Court’s impending decision.
If the ban is delayed, will RedNote stay atop its throne through the weekend?
