Chinese App RedNote Becomes America's Most-Downloaded After TikTok Users Flee

RedNote, a Chinese lifestyle app originally built for shopping and beauty tips, became the top downloaded app in the U.S. in January 2025 when nearly 3 million Americans joined in a single day, escaping TikTok's anticipated shutdown. The app, unfamiliar to most Western users weeks earlier, now serves a massive English-speaking audience. International brands saw engagement with their RedNote posts jump 70% week-over-week during the migration.