Market Reaction
Following 's brief unavailability in the , users are now selling phones with the app preloaded for prices ranging from $340 to $50,000 on platforms like and .
One seller, Nicholas Matthews, listed an with TikTok for $10,000, citing high demand. As of Friday, the highest bid on his phone was $4,550.
Broader Context
The app is still inaccessible for new downloads from and 's app stores, creating a market for devices that already have TikTok and other ByteDance apps like and .
Amidst the TikTok ban discussions, directed the to pause enforcement until early April, raising questions about the ban's authority and TikTok's parent company's willingness to sell the platform.