In a bold move to reignite its presence in Southeast Asia’s booming e-commerce landscape, China’s TikTok is set to invest a staggering $1.5 billion to secure a controlling stake in an e-commerce unit of Indonesia’s GoTo Gojek Tokopedia. This strategic maneuver comes in the wake of Indonesian regulators suspending online shopping on social media platforms, prompting TikTok to shutter its e-commerce service, TikTok Shop.
The ban, implemented in October to safeguard smaller merchants and users’ data, left TikTok searching for avenues to revive its online shopping business in Indonesia. The short video app had earlier launched TikTok Shop to leverage its massive user base and take on rapidly growing online sellers like Shein and PDD Holdings’ Temu, whose success was fueled by viral marketing on TikTok.
Shares in GoTo, a multifaceted business encompassing ride-hailing, delivery, and financial services, dipped by 8.3% following the announcement of TikTok’s substantial investment. Analyst Maximilianus Nico Demus at Pilarmas Investindo Sekuritas noted, “We need to see what kind of market disruption will happen after this partnership.”
The deal unfolds with TikTok acquiring a 75.01% stake in Tokopedia, Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platform, for $840 million. Simultaneously, TikTok Shop’s Indonesia business will be integrated into the expanded Tokopedia entity. The collaboration will initiate with a pilot period closely supervised by regulators, emphasizing a commitment to adhere to industry standards.
With over 124 million users in Indonesia, TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, aims to transform its extensive user base into a significant revenue source for e-commerce. The transaction is anticipated to conclude by the first quarter of 2024, with Tokopedia receiving a $1 billion promissory note from TikTok for working capital needs.
The strategic partnership between TikTok and Tokopedia comes at a crucial juncture for Indonesia’s e-commerce market. Competing against platforms like Shopee and Lazada, Tokopedia is a key player in an industry poised to expand to $160 billion by 2030 from $62 billion in 2023, as indicated by a report from Google, Temasek Holdings, and Bain & Co.
TikTok has committed to invest over $1.5 billion in the enlarged entity over time, providing future funding required by the business without additional dilution to GoTo, the companies declared in a joint statement, solidifying their commitment to drive innovation and capture a substantial share of Indonesia’s burgeoning e-commerce landscape. As the region watches this collaboration unfold, the outcome could reshape the competitive dynamics of Southeast Asia’s digital marketplace.
(Source: SCMP)
