Unless one lives under a rock, there’s no denying TikTok’s global takeover, even as it becomes the  ‘search engine’ for video content. 

So, which countries are driving TikTok’s traffic, and how does it compare with that of other social media app giants?

TL;DR

• In January 2025, TikTok reached 1.59 billion users. This is 19.4% of the global population and 28.6% of internet users.
• The top countries are the U.S. (136 million users), Indonesia (108 million), Brazil (91.7 million), and Mexico (85.4 million). 
• In the Middle East, penetration peaks are high, especially in Saudi Arabia (138.2%) and the UAE (123.1%).

TikTok Global User Base in 2025

TikTok reached 1.59 billion monthly users in January 2025, representing 19.4% of the global population and 28.6% of internet users. 

This is 2% growth over the past year, despite a recent dip due to regulatory changes. 

Most growth is from Southeast Asia and South America, and in places like Saudi Arabia, user numbers exceed the population. Thus, TikTok’s popularity isn’t fading.

Top 10 Countries with the Most TikTok Users (Jan ‘25)

Source: Data Reportal

TikTok’s Fastest Growth Markets

Latin America’s TikTok usage is much higher than in other parts of the world, with 177.1 million users across Brazil, Mexico, and other countries. 

Asia-Pacific isn’t far behind, boasting 298 million users, with Indonesia (108 million) and the Philippines (62.3 million) leading the region. 

Meanwhile, Africa is catching up too, especially in Egypt (41.3M) and Nigeria (around 15M), as more young people jump online with affordable data plans. 

Website Traffic Share by Country

In September 2025, tiktok.com received 1.94 billion visits, with an average session duration of 11:35. Compared to August, traffic to tiktok.com decreased by 3.3%.

Source: Semrush

The U.S. is TikTok’s top user market, accounting for 21.61% of traffic to the social media platform, despite some rules getting in the way. Brazil’s not far behind at 8.17%.

Indonesia accounts for 4.1%, and Southeast Asia hits 18.7%, owing to increased mobile use. 

Mexico and Vietnam round out the top five with 3.7% and 3.2%, respectively. Together, these countries account for over a third of all TikTok visits. 

Penetration Rates Across the Globe

As of January 2025, Saudi Arabia had an impressive TikTok penetration rate of 138.2%, suggesting that users access the platform across multiple devices.

The UAE is close behind at 123.1% due to high smartphone ownership and a young, urban population. Qatar and Kuwait also show strong interest, with rates of 106.7% and 102.4%, respectively. 

This highlights how TikTok has taken off in the Middle East, even exceeding the actual number of internet users. 

What’s Driving High TikTok Adoption in These Countries?

Countries like Saudi Arabia (98% internet access) and the UAE (99% internet access) offer affordable broadband and 4G/5G networks, making TikTok easy to use in both cities and rural areas. 

In Indonesia, where 72.8% of mobile traffic is on smartphones, and in Brazil, where smartphone penetration is 56.4%, smartphones are the primary way people go online, aligning with TikTok’s mobile-first approach. 

With over 70% of Pakistan’s population under 30 and 65% of the Philippines’ under 35, TikTok thrives as Gen Z and Millennials lead in creating and sharing content. 

In light of that, local trends such as dance challenges in Brazil, comedy skits in Indonesia, and lifestyle clips in the UAE resonate with users. 

Thus, 80% engage with culturally relevant videos.

ELI5

In January 2025, TikTok reached 1.59 billion users. This is 19.4% of the global population and 28.6% of internet users. The top countries are the U.S. (136 million users), Indonesia (108 million users), Brazil (91.7 million users), and Mexico (85.4 million users). 

Sources:

Semrush | Data Reportal | Resourcera