TikTok to Invest $1.5 Billion in GoTo’s Tokopedia to Restart E-commerce Operations in Indonesia
China’s TikTok seeks to regain its foothold in Southeast Asia’s largest economy after its online shopping business was suspended by regulators.
China’s popular short video app TikTok has announced plans to invest $1.5 billion in GoTo’s Tokopedia, Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platform. This move comes as TikTok aims to restart its online shopping business in Southeast Asia’s largest economy, following its suspension by regulators. The investment will make TikTok the controlling shareholder of the e-commerce unit of GoTo, which encompasses ride-hailing, delivery, and financial services. The partnership aims to leverage TikTok’s large user base and challenge fast-growing online sellers in Indonesia.
TikTok’s E-commerce Service Suspended in Indonesia
In October, Indonesia implemented a ban on online shopping through social media platforms to protect smaller merchants and users’ data. As a result, TikTok was forced to close its e-commerce service, TikTok Shop. The Indonesian market was one of the few where TikTok Shop had been launched earlier in the year, aiming to capitalize on its large user base and compete with popular online sellers such as Shein and PDD Holdings’ Temu, whose viral marketing on TikTok had contributed to their rapid growth.
TikTok’s Investment in GoTo’s Tokopedia
TikTok’s investment in GoTo’s Tokopedia involves the acquisition of a 75.01% stake in the e-commerce platform for $840 million. Additionally, TikTok will inject its Indonesia business from TikTok Shop into the enlarged Tokopedia entity. The two companies have stated that the strategic partnership will commence with a pilot period, closely supervised by relevant regulators. This move aims to tap into Indonesia’s active social media user base, with TikTok boasting 124 million users in the Southeast Asian country.
Implications for GoTo and the Indonesian E-commerce Market
Following the announcement of the partnership, shares in GoTo tumbled 8.3%, as some investors took profit from the stock’s recent rally on expectations of a deal with TikTok. Analysts are closely observing the market disruption that may occur as a result of this partnership. Maximilianus Nico Demus, an analyst at Pilarmas Investindo Sekuritas, commented on the need to monitor the impact of the collaboration on the Indonesian e-commerce landscape.
Indonesia’s e-commerce industry is expected to expand to approximately $160 billion by 2030, up from $62 billion in 2021, according to a report by Google, Temasek Holdings, and Bain & Co. Tokopedia currently competes with other major players in the Indonesian e-commerce market, such as Shopee from Sea, headquartered in Singapore, and Lazada, owned by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.
Conclusion:
TikTok’s $1.5 billion investment in GoTo’s Tokopedia marks its attempt to revive its online shopping business in Indonesia. By leveraging its large user base and partnering with a prominent e-commerce platform, TikTok aims to tap into Indonesia’s booming e-commerce market. The partnership between TikTok and GoTo’s Tokopedia will undoubtedly reshape the Indonesian e-commerce landscape, and analysts will be closely monitoring the market disruption that may occur as a result. As Indonesia’s e-commerce industry continues to grow, this collaboration sets the stage for fierce competition among major players in the market.