It happened during COVID: We all, for a long period of time, became more online. Digital content had already been growing, and plenty of people were familiar with the vast trove of videos on established platforms like YouTube and Twitch, as well as (at the time) nascent platforms like TikTok. But in a time where most folks were locked inside, a perfect fusion happened: More people than ever found themselves with the time to watch content–and make it.
This surge in online creativity, combined with a collective worry about financial insecurity, led to generous support from viewers. They subscribed to Patreons, bought merch, and sent donations at record levels, all in the spirit of enabling creators to continue making the content they enjoyed watching.
And platforms recognized that spirit, introducing new and expanded ways to give, often with gamified rewards for donors.
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Now, five years on, TikTok is taking a data-first look at how gifting impacts both creators and viewers of livestreams on its platform.
TikTok Live gifts have gotten spotlight during memeable moments like the rise of NPC streamers and that time a 9-to-5 TikToker quit his job and started asking for “galaxies” in exchange for answering questions. (Galaxies cost viewers about $15 each.) Day to day, though, these little virtual items—which cost between 1 cent and ~$560 and pop up with an in-stream animation when redeemed—are facilitating creator/fan interactivity and a significant part of creators’ earnings.
According to a study from Ipsos commissioned by TikTok, in 2025 over 60,000 U.S.-based TikTok Live creators will make “more than the median part-time monthly income” from gift earnings. (That’s creators’ take-home after TikTok’s ~50% cut.)
The study, which took place in June and July 2025, asked 500 total people ages 18-49, 300 TikTok users and 200 non-users, about their knowledge and utilization of TikTok Live gifting.
It found that 68% of TikTok users have tried gifting on TikTok Live, and 50% are likely to use gifting in the next month.
As for reasons why viewers give gifts, the very top one clocks with the generous attitude we mentioned above: 35% of people said they send gifts on TikTok Live to “show appreciation for the creator’s content.”
34% of users cited two reasons for sending gifts: To “enhance the viewing experience with interactive elements,” and to “stand out or be noticed within the community of viewers.” 32% of respondents said they send livestream gifts to engage with the livestream’s content and/or other viewers, and 31% said they do it to “celebrate a milestone or special event in the creator’s life or channel.”
Ipsos also collected more specific comments from both “top” and “active” gifters.
Zoelando, whom it cited as a “top” gifter, said they send TikTok Live gifts because “[g]ifts convey positive emotions. To express friendship, I would choose Gifts such as the Flower Overflow where a door opens and all the flowers flow down.”
Meanwhile Peter, an “active” gifter, said, “Gifting to me is mainly to express support, making the LIVE creators happy when they see my Gift; or helping less well-known LIVE creators gain visibility, congratulating them on being seen by more people.”
His comment tracks with another stat Ipsos found: 1 in 5 U.S.-based creators will receive a TikTok Live gift from a viewer the very first time they go live.
Speaking of the creator side, Ipsos spoke with Vanessa aka @deliciousnessbakery, who founded her sweets business to honor her late mother. She joined TikTok Live because she wanted to host her own baking show–and, like many creators, she recognizes gifts from viewers by dancing along to the virtual items’ animations, even if she’s in the middle of piping cupcakes.
Ipsos and TikTok didn’t provide exact numbers, but said that within six months, Vanessa tripled her audience and six-times’d the amount of gifts she received. She currently has 123,000 followers.
“TikTok has massively improved my discoverability and helped me get my name out there,” she said. “I don’t think my business would be as successful without TikTok Live.”
@deliciousnessbakery 🎄 I’M BACK, NESS NATION! 🎄 After 2 weeks off, your girl is officially back in the kitchen and we have the BIGGEST week ever! 👇✨ 📅 THIS WEEK’S LIVE SCHEDULE 🍽 MONDAY — 10AM CST Meal Prep Monday is BACK! Come prep our weekly meals with me — all things savory, cozy, and delicious. Let’s reset together. ✨ 🎅 TUESDAY — 5:45PM–7PM CST TIKTOK TV RETURNS! It’s ALL things Christmas this week and this episode is going to be BOMB. Holiday baking, festive magic, and so many surprises. Don’t miss it! 🎄✨ ❤️ THURSDAY — FEEDING AMERICA SPECIAL Join me for a special LIVE dedicated to helping families this holiday season. We’re raising funds for Feeding America — $1 = 10 meals for people in need. Come bake, hang out, and make a real impact with me. 🧡🍞 🎂 FRIDAY — 9AM CST Custom cake morning! Let’s build something beautiful together. ✨ 🎂 SATURDAY — 9AM CST Another custom cake morning — festive designs, holiday vibes… you already know it’s going to be GOOD. 🎄🧁 🎥 PLUS… VLOGMAS IS HERE!! My first ever Vlogmas — 25 days of fun, chaos, baking, pregnancy moments, and holiday magic. ✨ Short daily videos here on TikTok ✨ FULL 20-minute episodes every day on YouTube! (Link in bio — come subscribe!) I’m so excited to spend December with you. Let’s make it the most magical month yet. 🤍🎄✨ #tiktokliveschedule #tiktoktv #deliciousnessbakery ♬ merry xmas – canistrs
Much like it’s done with affiliate marketing and TikTok Shop, TikTok used this study to stress how on its platform, anyone can be a livestreamer. “Compared to a traditional advertising or sponsorship-driven model, gifting democratizes success,” Ipsos wrote. “Creators do not need to have millions of followers in order to start monetizing their livestream content. On TikTok and YouTube, creators can start livestreaming and monetizing as long as they are aged 18 and above, and have a follower count ranging from 50 to 900.”
Jessica Phan, Ipsos’ SVP & Senior Client Officer of Tech & Media, said that ultimately, viewer-given virtual gifts are “something fundamentally different.”
“Livestream gifting has introduced an immediacy and intimacy that those early interactions never could achieve,” she said. “It’s no longer about reacting after the fact–it’s about being present, visible, and influential in the very moment of creation. When a viewer sends a gift to the livestream, they’re not just expressing appreciation; they’re becoming part of the performance itself.”
