The recent U.S. agreement on TikTok has highlighted the platform’s fundamental role in the U.S. economy, valued in the billions. However, this focus may overshadow its immense influence in other parts of the world. An independent study commissioned by TikTok reveals that its total economic impact in the European Union reaches €31 billion.
The analysis, conducted by the consultancy Public First, assesses multiple factors: from advertising investment and sales generated by businesses on the platform to royalty revenues for the music industry. The findings confirm that TikTok’s influence in the EU extends far beyond digital entertainment.
This overall figure of €31 billion encompasses direct, indirect, and induced effects. Its contribution to the European creative sector stands out, estimated at €2.6 billion, equivalent to approximately 52,000 full-time jobs. Germany leads the economic impact with €7.2 billion, followed by France with €5.2 billion, despite the regulatory measures adopted by the latter country.
According to the report, “Since its arrival in Europe in 2018, TikTok has redefined how people discover content, products, and ideas. What began as a short-video platform has become a powerful discovery channel, helping creators reach wider audiences and enabling businesses to connect with customers among its over 200 million European users.”
Some contributions are more difficult to quantify. The platform claims to foster the equivalent of 5.3 billion hours of informal learning, an educational value the study estimates could translate into up to €20 billion in productivity gains. Furthermore, its commercial function, such as TikTok Shop, is said to save European consumers €10 billion annually by offering more choices and accessibility.
These figures, though complex to measure, illustrate TikTok’s multifaceted reach. In the music industry, for example, without being a record label, the platform claims to generate €1.8 billion in value through the promotion of streams, ticket sales, and merchandise.
Like other major digital platforms, TikTok has successfully converted engagement into tangible economic results. Considering that neither Europe nor the United States are its largest markets, these figures underscore its true scale as a global economic phenomenon.