On TikTok, viewers buy coins, spend those coins on gifts during Live streams, and creators receive diamonds in return. Diamonds convert to USD at a fixed rate: 1 diamond = $0.005. The multi-step currency stack is where the real math lives \u2014 and where most creators underestimate how much of a viewer\u2019s spend actually reaches their bank.
How the currency stack works
There are four layers between a viewer pulling out their wallet and your bank account:
- Viewer buys coins. 100 coins cost roughly $1.40 \u2014 not $1.00 \u2014 because Apple/Google charge IAP fees on top of TikTok\u2019s listed coin price.
- Viewer spends coins on a gift. Gift prices are quoted in coins (e.g., a Rose is 1 coin, a Universe is 44,999 coins).
- TikTok converts coins to diamonds. The conversion ratio is approximately 2 coins per diamond, so a 100-coin gift yields roughly 50 diamonds.
- Diamonds convert to USD at withdrawal. 1 diamond = $0.005. 50 diamonds = $0.25.
There\u2019s one more implicit layer: TikTok keeps roughly 50% of the diamond value the creator sees after all conversions. In practice, your effective take-home from a 100-coin gift worth $1.40 to the viewer is around $0.13 after all the cuts. That\u2019s roughly 9\u201310% of the viewer\u2019s spend.
Common gift values
Here\u2019s the end-to-end math on four common gift sizes. Numbers are approximations based on typical coin pricing and the standard diamond conversion rate.
| Gift (coins) | Viewer paid (USD) | Diamonds to you | Diamond value | You receive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 coins | ~$1.40 | 50 diamonds | ~$0.25 | ~$0.13 |
| 500 coins | ~$6.50 | 250 diamonds | ~$1.25 | ~$0.63 |
| 1,000 coins | ~$13.00 | 500 diamonds | ~$2.50 | ~$1.25 |
| 10,000 coins | ~$130.00 | 5,000 diamonds | ~$25.00 | ~$12.50 |
Common misconceptions
\u201cCoins and diamonds are the same currency.\u201d They\u2019re not. Coins are what viewers buy. Diamonds are what creators receive. The platform sits in the middle and charges a markup on both conversions.
\u201cA $1 gift nets me $1.\u201d Nowhere close. Viewer coin prices include IAP markup, then TikTok takes ~50% of the diamond value before it flows to your balance. Effective creator take is ~25\u201340% of viewer spend on most gift sizes.
\u201cDiamonds expire immediately.\u201d They don\u2019t \u2014 but inactive accounts or policy violations can invalidate a balance. Withdraw regularly (when you hit $100) rather than letting diamonds stack indefinitely.