TikTok is offering cash incentives to attract new users in the United States.

According to a report from The Information, this move comes amid signs of slowing growth and potential user decline in some regions.

Creator economy expert Lia Haberman has observed this promotion within the app.

“TikTok wants to bring over more YouTube and Instagram creators — and it’s relying on its users to recruit them by rewarding them with $300 in TikTok promo dollars or $100 Amazon gift cards for each eligible creator that joins,” Haberman said on Threads.

“Users get an exclusive invite code to send to YouTubers with at least 10K subscribers and Instagrammers with at least 100K followers,” Haberman added. “Users are rewarded after an eligible creator accepts and joins TikTok’s 1 Min+ Growth Program using the invitation code.”

TikTok’s Recent Troubles 

Per a recent Search Engine Land report, TikTok’s user growth has plateaued since reaching the billion-user milestone in 2021.

In the U.S., where the app faces a potential ban, TikTok reports 170 million users, up from 150 million in March 2023. 

TikTok’s Digital Markets Act disclosures in Europe reveal that just 6 million users joined between October 2023 and April 2024.

The platform has experimented with similar incentive programs in Europe. 

The “TikTok Lite” program, launched in France and Spain, offered rewards for user engagement activities such as discovering and liking videos. 

However, TikTok canceled this initiative following concerns raised by EU officials about potential violations of the Digital Services Act.

These user acquisition efforts come as TikTok contends with data privacy concerns and increasing competition from Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.