TikTok Applies for Brazil Fintech Licenses and Rolls Out In-App Hotel Booking

U.S. users to discover and book hotels, attractions, and experiences directly inside the app. The feature surfaces lodging and activities through videos, search, and location pages, where users can view details, check availability, and complete bookings.

A few weeks ago, TikTok applied to Brazil’s central bank for approval to operate as a financial technology company offering lending and payment services. The company is seeking one license for prepaid accounts that let users store funds, receive money, and make payments, and a second license to operate as a direct credit provider.

U.S. In 2023. S. 82 billion. S. 1 percent by 2027.

TikTok Shop gift cards were introduced late in 2025, and the platform has recently expanded into luxury retail. These additions build on the same approach used for TikTok GO, keeping transactions inside the app rather than directing users elsewhere. TikTok launched a streaming service called TikTok Music in 2023 and shut it down one year later.

The company said it would focus on driving music listening through partnerships instead of competing directly with other services. It recently added a feature that lets Apple Music subscribers play full songs inside the TikTok app after discovering them on the For You feed.

TikTok has built a search experience that surfaces maps, local hashtags, and reviews for restaurants, travel locations, shops, and experiences.

Dedicated place pages now display opening hours, star ratings, and price ranges. The company launched an in-app Minis section and a standalone app for microdramas made of one-minute episodes. It has also added a series of casual games.

These features followed earlier steps into live-streaming and longer videos that moved the platform away from its original 15-second video format. U.S. ownership in January 2025.

The company is applying the same integration strategy used for commerce to payments, local discovery, and entertainment features.