Who Owns ByteDance?
Updated onExplore the ownership hierarchy of ByteDance. See parent companies, holding structures, and ultimate controllers.
Ownership Chain
ByteDance
ByteDance is a global internet technology company that builds consumer content platforms and apps such as TikTok, Douyin, Toutiao and CapCut.
ByteDance appears to be independent with no known parent company.
ByteDance
ByteDance is a global internet technology company that builds consumer content platforms and apps such as TikTok, Douyin, Toutiao and CapCut.
ByteDance appears to be independent with no known parent company.
Major Shareholders
ByteDance
Major Shareholders
| Name | Type | Ownership | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
Global institutional investors (aggregate) ByteDance and TikTok state that roughly 60% of ByteDance Ltd. is owned by global institutional investors (VC and PE funds). This block includes large shareholders such as Susquehanna International Group (~15%), Sequoia Capital China/HongShan (10%+), General Atlantic, KKR, SoftBank Group, Tiger Global, Hillhouse, Coatue and others. | Institutional | 60.0% | Mar 2024 |
ByteDance co-founders led by Zhang Yiming (founder group) According to TikTok’s disclosures, about 20% of ByteDance’s equity is owned by its co-founders (primarily Zhang Yiming, with stakes held by other early Chinese investors). External estimates put Zhang Yiming’s individual economic stake at roughly 21%, and he is reported to hold over 50% of ByteDance’s voting control through super‑voting shares, giving the founder group effective control despite minority economic ownership. Separately, an entity backed by the Cyberspace Administration of China holds a 1% “golden share” in a key domestic subsidiary (Douyin Information Service Co., Ltd.), which confers a board seat and influence over certain China‑only content operations, but this is not a direct ownership stake in ByteDance Ltd. itself. | Founder | 20.0% | Mar 2024 |
ByteDance employees (ESOP and employee shareholders) TikTok and independent reporting indicate that approximately 20% of ByteDance is owned by employees through stock options and share programs, including thousands of U.S.-based staff; this figure is repeated in coverage of ByteDance’s employee liquidity programs. | Other | 20.0% | Mar 2024 |
Susquehanna International Group (SIG Asia Investments and affiliates) Susquehanna International Group, via its SIG Asia Investments arm, invested in ByteDance in 2012 and is reported to now own about 15% of the company, making it one of the single largest outside shareholders; this stake has been cited by both business press and investment analyses. This 15% interest is part of the broader 60% global institutional‑investor block listed above. | Institutional | 15.0% | May 2024 |
Sequoia Capital China / HongShan funds Sequoia Capital’s China arm (spun out as HongShan in 2023) led multiple funding rounds in ByteDance starting in 2014 and is widely described as holding a stake of at least around 10% of the company, ranking it among ByteDance’s largest venture investors, alongside firms such as General Atlantic and KKR. This holding is included within the 60% global institutional‑investor ownership portion above; the exact current percentage has not been publicly disclosed. | Institutional | — | — |
Get Started
Your ultimate competitive playbook
You just found your top competitors. Now let's map your whole landscape and show you how to stand out.
Competitive Landscape Report
Built for small teams who can't hire a full-time analyst.
$129 $260 one-time payment
Generated in minutes, no subscription.
Instead of guessing what to do about your competitors, get a done-for-you intelligence report
Competitor Map
Direct, indirect, and alternative competitors mapped across your market
Positioning Analysis
How each competitor positions, their ICP, and key differentiators
Feature & Pricing Matrix
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and packaging strategies
Growth Channel Analysis
SEO, paid ads, content, and social strategies across the landscape
Reputation & Social Proof
Ratings, reviews, and sentiment analysis across all competitors
90-Day Action Plan
Specific tactics to differentiate and win more deals in the next 3 months