ByteDance raises pay, boosts bonuses to retain staff amid AI talent war

Beijing-based ByteDance has raised pay and sweetened incentives as the TikTok owner steps up efforts to retain and attract talent globally, as it makes progress on settling the future of its US business.

In an internal letter released to all staff on Friday and seen by the Post, the social media giant said it would lift both the upper and lower limits of compensation packages for staff across all ranks.

For its full-year 2025 performance cycle – with reviews starting on January 15, 2026 – ByteDance said its total bonus pool would increase by 35 per cent from a year earlier, while spending on compensation adjustments would rise 1.5 times.

A ByteDance spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

The company said it was “raising the ceiling for compensation and incentives to ensure that our compensation competitiveness and incentives are industry-leading on a global scale”.

The company also said it would increase the cash portion of compensation while reducing the share paid in stock-based awards such as options or restricted stock units (RSUs). Equity incentives will now vest over three years instead of four, shortening the payout period for total equity grants.