Duolingo Soars As (Temporary) TikTok Ban Sparks Mandarin Learning Boom
Millions of Americans rushed to say “ni hao” (hello) to a world without TikTok — only to say “zàijiàn” (goodbye) to Chinese rival RedNote, after TikTok was restored just 14 hours later. In recent weeks, the supposed ban sent users flocking to RedNote — helping language learning platform Duolingo ride a cultural wave straight to the bank, as its shares jumped 7% on Thursday.
- While Spanish remains Duolingo’s most popular language with 48.8M learners and 40% year-over-year growth, Mandarin has seen an explosive 216% one-year surge in learners — though it currently ranks seventh with 11.3M users.
- RedNote’s ascent to the #1 spot in Apple’s App Store has created a perfect storm for Duolingo — benefitting from a strategic presence on the Mandarin-only platform that’s seen US downloads surge 20x over the past week.
Beyond the language boom: While’s 43% gain beat the Nasdaq’s 29% last year, a Citizens JMP analyst believes the real catalyst lies ahead — AI. As the company rolls out its premium GPT-4-powered MaxAI subscription, featuring an AI language partner, analysts foretell increased monetization, per Investing.com. That said, the same technology could undermine its very business model. Despite this, Duolingo’s ability to capitalize on social trends proves that sometimes, cultural ripples create lasting tsunamis.
