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On the heels of TikTok waiting Shut down on January 19 due to its US ownership (unless the Supreme Court intervenes), another Chinese app is gaining attention. American users are flocking to Chinese short-form video programs Xiaohongshu (known as RedNote in English). The app rose to the number one spot for free apps in the US App Store today. It is also the best Social Networking app among all free iPhone apps.
Several TikTok creators promote Xiaohongshu on their accounts, encouraging their followers to switch to the platform. Influencers may not have a crystal ball to predict whether TikTok will survive the ban, but Xiaohongshu gives them a way to hedge their social bets.
(We’re investigating the install numbers and will update this post with more information as we get it.)
Why Xiaohongshu?
Xiaohongshu originally launched in 2013, and it hits a lot of the right notes for creators looking for a TikTok alternative: it has a Pinterest-like layout; commonly thought of as China’s answer to Instagram; and critically has a number of social shopping features.
It has also been on a strong, viral trajectory. After some steady growth, Xiaohongshu took off among young Chinese consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It currently has 300 million monthly active users, 79% of whom are women. For now, it is the best program in the US
Not surprisingly, the startup attracted the attention of investors. To date, it has raised nearly $917 million in venture funding with backers including Tencent, Alibaba, ZhenFund, DST, HongShan (formerly Sequoia China) and 13 other companies. was evaluated with 17 billion dollars 2024 after the secondary share sale.
According to the news BloombergThe program is projected to grow to more than $1 billion in revenue by 2024 (quarterly sales last year were $1 billion. this FT report), ahead of a possible IPO. This growth not only indicates the potential of the application, but also points to the promising opportunities it can bring to its creators.
It is not clear whether Xiaohongshu will maintain the interest it is currently receiving. If this happens, it remains to be seen what this might mean in terms of the investigation by US authorities, given that Xiaohongshu not only hails from China, but also has no pretext to operate in the US.
Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that TikTok users do not recommend apps from TikTok’s biggest competitor in the country. Recently Meta announced Stability of social apps including Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp will ease content moderation policies and stop third-party fact-checking in the process – is a concern about the potential spread of hateful content and misinformation on their platforms.
