- Reddit’s Ohanian ‘s on-chain TikTok bid! Users own data, creators own audience, and blockchain integration.
- Reddit’s blockchain dilemma: Public company status hinders on-chain vision, unlike TikTok.
- Reddit’s crypto holdings: Bitcoin and Ethereum for financial management, no other digital assets.
Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, announced that he plans to acquire TikTok’s US operations, aiming to bring the platform’s operations “on-chain.” Ohanian envisions a TikTok where users own their data and creators control their audience, principles he believes are essential for the future of digital communities.
Ohanian emphasized that “Frequency” will materialize these principles, fostering transparency and accountability. He promises a “GREATER” TikTok, built for the people, by the people. This move aligns Ohanian’s career-long commitment to betting on the future, starting with Reddit and continuing with his venture capital firm, Seven Seven Six.
Exciting news for the digital world… I’m officially now one of the people trying to buy TikTok US — and bring it on-chain. TikTok has been a game-changer for creators, and it’s future should be built by them
Ohanian believes in empowering creators and users, a stark contrast to the current centralized model. He believes TikTok has been a “game-changer” for creators, but its future should be built by them. By integrating blockchain technology, Ohanian aims to shift ownership and control back to the users.
Reddit’s Blockchain Betrayal? Why Ohanian’s Turning to TikTok
This announcement has sparked debate, particularly given Reddit’s own complex relationship with blockchain. While the social media firm has a digital assets team and previously rolled out digital collectible avatars, there are indications that the platform might be sunsetting these initiatives. This raises the question of why Ohanian isn’t focusing on bringing blockchain to Reddit instead.
However, as Twitter user @0xDith pointed out, its status as a publicly traded company likely brings significant regulatory hurdles for blockchain integration. In contrast, acquiring TikTok would offer a cleaner slate for Ohanian to implement his on-chain vision.
As for cryptocurrencies, the social media giant earlier disclosed the allocation of allocating a portion of its surplus cash reserves to Bitcoin and Ethereum and used ETH and MATIC as payments for sales of certain virtual goods, according to the S-1 filing. But as of 2025, it holds no other digital assets other than Bitcoin and Ethereum for financial management purposes.