ByteDance's overseas revenue surges, but profits hit by AI spending

Chinese tech heavyweight ByteDance posted strong overseas growth in 2025, with its overseas revenue surging nearly 50 percent, far outpacing its domestic growth of about 20 percent, according to domestic media reports.

The share of its international business rose from roughly 25 percent in 2024 to more than 30 percent last year, reaching a record high.

The strong performance was largely driven by the rapid expansion of its e-commerce segment. TikTok Shop recorded a year-on-year gross merchandise value (GMV) growth of nearly 70 percent in 2025, becoming a key contributor to the rising share of ByteDance's overseas revenue.

However, the company's profitability came under pressure during the same period, with its net profit dropping by more than 70 percent year-on-year in 2025.

It has been reported that the sharp decline is mainly attributable to increased spending in artificial intelligence-related areas in the second half of the year — including computing power procurement, model development, and infrastructure investment.