- What TikTok's leadership has said about Saudi Arabia
- The Creator Rewards list leaves Saudi Arabia out
- LIVE Gifts under the rest-of-world rules
- Riyals, the dollar peg and what that means for you
- Local rules: what I could and couldn't verify
- A working plan while TikTok's own routes are narrow
- Saudi Arabia route check
- Mistakes to avoid
- Frequently asked questions
Saudi creators can't join TikTok's Creator Rewards Program, and Saudi Arabia isn't on TikTok Shop's seller menu, though TikTok's CEO has said e-commerce would be piloted there first. The documented route is LIVE Gifts, withdrawn in US dollars and converted into riyals.
Saudi Arabia has a huge TikTok audience and some of the most talked-about plans from TikTok's own leadership, so it's natural to assume the money is already flowing to creators there. The published rules say something more limited. This guide sets out what I could verify about monetising TikTok from Saudi Arabia, what I couldn't, and how a payment in US dollars becomes riyals in your account.
What TikTok's leadership has said about Saudi Arabia
In 2024, TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew told Asharq News that TikTok would pilot some new products, including e-commerce, in Saudi Arabia first, because Saudis are early adopters of technology. That's an intention, not a launch. When I checked TikTok Shop's seller site, Saudi Arabia wasn't on its region menu. So the honest summary is 'announced interest, no listed Shop route yet'.
The Creator Rewards list leaves Saudi Arabia out
TikTok's Creator Rewards Program, which pays qualifying creators for longer videos, is open in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, Mexico and Brazil. A creator has to be based in one of those countries and have an account registered there. Saudi Arabia isn't listed, so a Saudi account can't apply. I'd treat any adviser who says otherwise as unreliable until they show you TikTok's own page.
LIVE Gifts under the rest-of-world rules
The route TikTok does document for creators in your position is LIVE Gifts. TikTok's Virtual Items Policy has one version for the EEA and UK, one for India, and one for creators living in any other country, which includes Saudi Arabia. Viewers send Gifts, you collect Diamonds, and Diamonds can be withdrawn as money denominated in US dollars to a nominated PayPal account or another third-party payment channel.
What to know before you rely on it:
- Age: you need to be 18 or the age of majority where you live. Wikipedia lists Saudi Arabia's as 18, citing a 2008 Arab News report that the age of adulthood was raised to 18.
- Name: the first and last name must match your PayPal account exactly.
- Checks: TikTok can verify your identity and age before it pays.
- Tax: TikTok may deduct applicable taxes, and won't give personal tax advice.
- Availability: I couldn't confirm the follower number for LIVE on an official page, so the LIVE option in your app is the real test.
Riyals, the dollar peg and what that means for you
Here Saudi creators have something many others don't. The riyal is fixed at 1 US dollar = 3.75 riyals. Wikipedia says that rate was made official on 1 January in 2003, and that the riyal has in practice been pegged to the dollar since 1986. Each riyal is divided into 100 halala.
Because TikTok calculates withdrawals in US dollars, the peg means you can estimate the riyal value of a payment with simple arithmetic: multiply the dollar amount by 3.75. What the peg can't tell you is the fee. Your bank, PayPal or other provider may charge for conversion and receiving, so ask for the all-in cost before you promise a price or a budget to anyone.
Local rules: what I could and couldn't verify
Creators in Saudi Arabia often ask about licences for advertising. I looked, and the only official-style fact I could confirm is that the General Authority of Media Regulation issues and manages licences for audiovisual media transmission and content, per Wikipedia. That page doesn't say whether it covers individual social media creators or paid promotions, and I couldn't confirm the details of any influencer licence from a source I trust. If you take brand deals, ask the authority or a Saudi lawyer what applies to you before you publish an ad. I'm not going to guess.
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A working plan while TikTok's own routes are narrow
- Qualify for LIVE if it appears, but don't plan your rent around it.
- Sell your own thing through TikTok: coaching, products, services or events, with a clear way to contact you.
- Agree brand work in writing, with the price, the currency and the usage terms, after checking the local licensing question above.
- Use other platforms that are open to you. My guide to YouTube pay per 1,000 views in Saudi Arabia and my look at what Snapchat pays in Saudi Arabia cover two of them.
- Watch for TikTok Shop news, because the pilot comment suggests Saudi Arabia is on the company's mind.
For a country where nearly everything is switched on, compare with TikTok monetisation in Japan. It shows what a creator can do when the programme list includes their country.
Saudi Arabia route check
| Route | Available in Saudi Arabia? | Source checked |
|---|---|---|
| Creator Rewards Program | No, Saudi Arabia isn't on the list of eight | TikTok Creator Academy |
| TikTok Shop | Not on the seller region menu; a pilot was mentioned by TikTok's CEO | Seller site and Argaam report |
| LIVE Gifts and Diamonds | Rest-of-world policy applies, if the account qualifies | TikTok Virtual Items Policy |
| Payment currency | US dollars; the riyal is pegged at 3.75 | Virtual Items Policy and Wikipedia |
| Brand deals | Yes, but check local licensing first | Not a TikTok programme |
Mistakes to avoid
Don't pay a middleman to 'register' you for a programme. Don't buy views, since TikTok excludes fraudulent and paid views. Don't publish paid promotion until you've checked the local rules. And don't assume that because a plan was announced, it's available to your account today.
Frequently asked questions
Can creators in Saudi Arabia join the TikTok Creator Rewards Program?
No. TikTok lists eight countries for the programme and Saudi Arabia isn't one of them.
Is TikTok Shop available in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia isn't on the TikTok Shop seller site's region menu. TikTok's CEO said in 2024 that e-commerce would be piloted in Saudi Arabia first, but that isn't a launch.
How does TikTok pay in Saudi Arabia?
LIVE Gift Diamonds are withdrawn as US dollars to a nominated PayPal account or another third-party channel, under TikTok's rest-of-world policy. Conversion into riyals is done by your provider.
What is the riyal to dollar rate for TikTok payments?
The riyal is fixed at 3.75 per US dollar, so a payment in dollars can be converted by multiplying by 3.75, before any fees.
What age must I be to withdraw TikTok earnings in Saudi Arabia?
TikTok requires 18 or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, and Wikipedia lists Saudi Arabia's as 18.
