In the latest craze to hit the resale world, old iPhones with TikTok already installed are being listed for jaw-dropping prices on eBay. Yes, you read that right—people are hoping to cash in on the current legal confusion surrounding the TikTok app by selling their phones for insane amounts, with listings soaring as high as $25,000.
This wild phenomenon stems from the ongoing legal limbo regarding TikTok’s place in the U.S. app stores. President Trump’s administration recently signed an order pushing the TikTok ban deadline by 75 days, leaving everyone scratching their heads about what’s next. If the ban does go through, the app would be removed from both Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The ambiguity over whether the next president will enforce such a ban or retroactively fine companies for noncompliance has left tech giants hesitant to risk removing TikTok. For now, the app is still unavailable for new downloads but remains accessible for those who already have it installed.
Enter the opportunistic resellers. With TikTok being banned from new downloads, some savvy (and maybe slightly delusional) sellers are hoping to cash in on their iPhones with the app still in place. One bold eBay seller even posted their iPhone 15 Pro for a mind-boggling $5 million, with the slightly more reasonable “or best offer” tag attached. While it’s unclear if anyone is seriously considering paying such a price, many others are listing their phones for $25,000, and some even as low as $2,000.
So far, no one seems to be biting. A quick check on eBay shows that many of these listings have zero bids, with no indication that anyone is willing to fork over the cash for a phone with an app that might face an uncertain future. But hey, at least it’s fun to watch! If you’re one of those desperate TikTok lovers looking for your fix, maybe you should try your luck, though it seems you’ll need more than just an old iPhone to make it happen.
The real question: Will these phones ever actually sell, or will they just remain relics of a TikTok-obsessed past?
