Saudi Arabia topped the ranking of countries by TikTok reach

Saudi Arabia topped the ranking of countries by TikTok penetration amongst the adult population. As of April this year, the figure stood at 164 per cent. In Kyrgyzstan, the platform remains blocked, although the issue of restoring access is being discussed at parliamentary level and by the State Committee for National Security.

According to Statista, the United Arab Emirates ranks second in terms of TikTok penetration with a figure of 142.7 per cent, whilst Malaysia is third with 131.1 per cent.

The top ten also includes Peru (122.7 per cent), Vietnam (122.3 per cent), Mexico (113.1 per cent), Thailand (112.4 per cent), Indonesia (108.9 per cent), Chile (107.4 per cent) and Colombia (102.6 per cent).

A figure above 100 per cent does not mean that more people use the platform than there are people living in the country. It refers to TikTok’s potential advertising reach relative to the population aged 18 and over. Thus, the ranking reflects the scale of the platform’s presence in individual markets rather than the exact number of unique users.

It should be noted that access to TikTok in Kyrgyzstan was restricted on 18 April 2024. Internet service providers began blocking the platform following an order from the Communications Regulation and Supervision Service, issued on the basis of a request from the State Committee for National Security (GKNB). The authorities explained the decision as necessary to protect children from harmful content.

In 2026, the issue of unblocking the platform was raised on several occasions. In June, Alisher Erbaev, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for National Security, stated that access could be restored following the adoption of the necessary regulations and the procurement of equipment capable of blocking specific undesirable content rather than the entire social network.

Then, in July, Dastan Bekeshev, a member of the Jogorku Kenesh, reported on a meeting with TikTok’s representative for Central Asia. He advocated lifting the restrictions, highlighting the platform’s importance for promoting small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the republic’s tourism potential.