Triller, a U.S. version of TikTok, jumps 300% in a day on SpaceX treasury stake
Triller has made a large balance-sheet bet on SpaceX via a structured fund position / Photo: Instagram / Triller
Triller Group, a U.S. micro-cap alternative to TikTok, saw its shares roughly quadruple on the Nasdaq on Thursday after agreeing to acquire investment company SAC1, giving it exposure to 3.9 million of SpaceX shares at a substantial discount to their market value.
Details
On Thursday, Triller Group shares surged around 300% on the Nasdaq to close at $3 apiece, their highest close since late 2024. In premarket trading on Friday, the stock had added another 92% aa of this writing.
The rally began after the micro cap announced that its subsidiary would acquire SAC1, a Bahamian investment vehicle holding 3.9 million SpaceX shares. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The position "was established well ahead of SpaceX's public listing and is being acquired at a meaningful discount to its current market value," the company said in a press release. At the close on Thursday, SpaceX stock was quoted at $153 per share.
"SpaceX is one of the most extraordinary companies of our generation, and we are securing meaningful exposure to it at a compelling entry point and placing it at the very heart of our balance sheet. We believe this fundamentally changes how investors should look at Triller," CEO Wing-Fai Ng was quoted as saying. The company will retain part of the position as treasury, according to the press release.
The transaction has not yet closed but is expected to do so in the coming days, the company said.
Triller also teased shareholders with details of its "Project Eight" initiative, under which it is planning a strategic transaction, Stocktwits writes. The company did not disclose additional details.
About the business
Founded in the U.S. in 2015, Triller operates a short-form video platform similar to TikTok, which launched two years later.
"We look at [TikTok] like a stepping stone to Triller," then coowner and Hollywood producer Ryan Kavanaugh said in 2020. In his view, the app's content is "a little more risque" and aimed at a slightly older audience. "We have a big sign on our wall in the office that says, 'TikTok is for kids,'" he said.
Today, the company positions itself as an alternative to the Chinese platform. In 2025, as TikTok faced mounting challenges in the U.S. market, the platform launched a campaign called SaveMyTikToks.com, allowing users to back up their videos and migrate them to Triller. It helped attract creators seeking a "U.S.-owned platform free from political and regulatory roadblocks," a RouteNote blog post noted.
In addition, Triller promotes third-party branded content using its AI-powered technology. It also owns Verzuz, a platform that hosts popular online music battles between artists, and organizes celebrity boxing events.
In 2025, Triller's revenue fell 21% to $21.6 million, while the net loss was down to about a sixth of its previous-year level at minus $174.5 million. The stock has skyrocketed 9,431% year to date.
