TikTok, Chinese apps thrive in U.S. despite political challenges

Investing.com -- TikTok remained the second-most-downloaded app in the United States in 2025 despite facing years of political scrutiny and a near-ban over its Chinese ownership, according to the latest data from Sensor Tower.

The short-video platform, owned by Beijing-headquartered ByteDance, maintained its strong position across Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store even as it recently announced a new U.S. venture to ensure its continued operation in the country.

ByteDance’s video editing tool CapCut also performed well, ranking fourth overall and climbing three places from its position a year earlier.

Other China-linked apps showed resilience in the U.S. market despite facing policy challenges. E-commerce platform Temu, which launched a major Super Bowl advertising campaign in 2024, ranked seventh in 2025, though it dropped from its top position the previous year as President Donald Trump’s tariffs disrupted its business model.

While fashion retailer Shein did not appear in the top 10 most downloaded apps overall, it claimed the top spot in the apparel shopping category in the U.S. in 2025.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT secured the position of America’s most downloaded app last year, reflecting the growing adoption of generative artificial intelligence.

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