Xiaohongshu, China’s answer to Instagram, hits no. 1 on the App Store as TikTok faces closure in the US

In the wake of TikTok Looming The app was shut down on January 19 due to its US ownership (unless the Supreme Court intervenes), and another Chinese app appears to be attracting some interest. US users are flocking to the Chinese short video app Xiao Hongshu (known as RedNote in English). Today the app rose to the number one spot for free apps on the US App Store. It’s also the best social media app out of all the free iPhone apps.

Many TikTok creators promote Xiaohongshu on their accounts, encouraging their followers to take to the platform. Influencers may not have a crystal ball to predict whether TikTok will overcome the ban, but Xiaohongshu gives them a way to hedge their social bets.

(We’re looking into installation numbers and will update this post with more data when we get it.)

Why Xiao Hongshu?

Originally launched in 2013, Xiaohongshu hits a lot of the right notes for creators looking for a TikTok alternative: it features a design similar to that of Pinterest; It’s often thought of as China’s answer to Instagram; Most importantly, it includes a number of social shopping features.

It has also been on a strong viral trajectory. After a few steady years of growth, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Xiaohongshu has boomed among younger Chinese consumers. It now has 300 million monthly active users, 79% of whom are women. It is currently the top app in the United States

Unsurprisingly, the startup has also received interest from investors. To date, it has raised about $917 million in venture funding, with backers including Tencent, Alibaba, ZhenFund, DST, HongShan (formerly Sequoia China) and about 13 others. Its value has reportedly been appreciated $17 billion After selling the secondary shares in 2024.

According to a report from Bloombergthe app is expected to increase its profits to more than $1 billion in 2024 (it achieved $1 billion in quarterly sales last year, per This Financial Times report), ahead of a potential IPO. This growth indicates not only the potential of the app, but also the promising opportunities it can bring to its creators.

It is not clear whether Xiaohongshu will maintain the attention she has now. If that happens, we remain to see what that might mean in terms of scrutiny by US authorities, given that not only does Xiaohongshu hail from China, but he appears to have no claim whatsoever to being active in the US.

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that TikTok users did not recommend apps from TikTok’s biggest competitor in the country, which is going through its own drama. Recently dead Announce That the stability of its social apps, which include Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, would relax its content moderation policies, halting third-party verification in the process – Raising concerns About the potential spread of hate content and misinformation on its platforms.