TikTok shop introduces digital gift cards as holiday push intensifies

TikTok Shop has just rolled out a new digital gift card feature, making it easier for users to send shopping credit to friends and family right in the middle of the holiday rush. The timing is no accident – this is a high-stakes period for TikTok’s e-commerce arm as it tries to prove it can go toe-to-toe with giants like Amazon and eBay. The move also signals a bigger shift for the platform as it moves beyond viral trinkets and into premium retail.

The new feature allows you to load cards with anywhere from $10 to $500.

To make it feel less like a clinical transaction, TikTok added a variety of animated designs tailored for birthdays, weddings, or just saying thank you. For now, the gift cards are exclusive to the United States. They arrive via email, and once redeemed, the funds go straight into the recipient’s TikTok Balance. From there, they can reply with a thank-you note or even send a gift card right back.

TikTok is calling this launch just the first step. By early 2026, the company plans to let users attach recorded video messages to their gifts. They are even teasing an “interactive unboxing” experience that would capture the recipient’s reaction in real-time. While TikTok hasn’t explained exactly how that will work yet, the goal is clearly to make digital gifting feel more social and emotional rather than just a balance transfer.

This expansion comes on the heels of a massive win for the platform.

During the four days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025, TikTok Shop cleared over $500 million in U.S. sales. It’s a huge milestone that shows just how quickly American shoppers are getting used to buying products directly through the app.

However, a cloud of uncertainty still hangs over the platform’s future. TikTok is still under a federal mandate to sell its U.S. operations to an American investor group. If a deal isn’t finalized, the app could face a total ban. President Trump recently pushed the compliance deadline to January 23, 2026, leaving TikTok with a very narrow window to secure its long-term survival.

For everyday shoppers, the new gift cards are a convenient way to handle last-minute presents. For TikTok, it’s a strategic gamble – a way to show that even with regulatory pressure mounting, its global shopping ambitions aren’t slowing down.