Douyin 2025 Anti-Fraud Report: 127 Referred to Judiciary, Blacklist Launched

Douyin Group released its 2025 Annual Anti-Fraud Report on April 30, 2026, revealing 83 internal fraud cases investigated and 127 individuals referred to public security authorities. The launch of the ‘Never-Cooperate Supplier/Service Provider Blacklist’ database — covering advertising agencies, live-streaming operation service providers, and MCN institutions — marks a structural shift in platform governance. This development directly affects digital marketing, influencer economy, and cross-border e-commerce sectors, as the blacklist is now interoperable with China’s General Administration of Customs ‘Import-Export Enterprise Credit Management System’, impacting AEO Advanced Certification applications and cross-border e-commerce business qualifications.

Event Overview

On April 30, 2026, Douyin Group published its 2025 Annual Anti-Fraud Report. The report confirmed 83 internal fraud cases were investigated during 2025; 127 individuals were transferred to judicial authorities. Concurrently, Douyin launched a publicly referenced ‘Never-Cooperate Supplier/Service Provider Blacklist’ database, explicitly including advertising agencies, live-streaming代运营 (third-party live-streaming operation) service providers, and MCN institutions. The blacklist system has been integrated with the General Administration of Customs’ ‘Import-Export Enterprise Credit Management System’, affecting entities’ eligibility for AEO Advanced Certification and cross-border e-commerce business qualifications.

Industries Affected by Segment

Advertising Agencies

Advertising agencies face direct exposure due to inclusion criteria in the blacklist. As the database covers agencies engaged in Douyin ad placement or campaign execution, any past or ongoing misconduct — such as fake traffic generation, falsified performance reporting, or bribery — may trigger blacklisting. Impact manifests in loss of platform access rights, inability to bid on Douyin ad tenders, and downstream effects on client retention and revenue forecasting.

Live-Streaming Operation Service Providers

Third-party providers managing live-streaming accounts, inventory fulfillment, or commission-based sales for brands on Douyin are subject to heightened compliance scrutiny. The blacklist applies regardless of whether misconduct occurred under contract with Douyin or via indirect channel partnerships. Affected providers may lose operational permissions, encounter payment hold-ups, and face reputational damage that impedes new client acquisition — especially from brands prioritizing platform-compliant partners.

MCN Institutions

MCN institutions managing influencer talent on Douyin are included in the blacklist scope. Violations such as data manipulation, unauthorized account takeovers, or collusion with creators to inflate engagement metrics may result in blacklisting. Consequences include suspension of creator onboarding privileges, restricted access to Douyin’s monetization tools (e.g., Douyin Shop commissions, live-stream gifting features), and diminished eligibility for official program participation (e.g., Douyin Creator Growth Program).

Cross-Border E-Commerce Operators

Entities holding or applying for AEO Advanced Certification — particularly those using Douyin as a domestic marketing or sales channel while engaging in cross-border trade — are indirectly affected. Interoperability with the Customs credit system means a blacklisted advertising agency or MCN used by an exporter could negatively influence the exporter’s credit evaluation, delaying or disqualifying AEO certification renewal or initial application — a prerequisite for customs facilitation in cross-border e-commerce.

What Enterprises and Practitioners Should Monitor and Do Now

Track official updates to blacklist criteria and appeal mechanisms

Douyin has not yet published detailed procedural guidelines for inclusion, removal, or appeal against listing. Enterprises currently engaged with Douyin — especially those relying on third-party service providers — should monitor official announcements via Douyin’s Integrity & Compliance Portal and prepare internal review protocols to verify current partners’ standing.

Verify third-party service provider status before contract renewal or onboarding

Before signing new agreements with advertising agencies, live-streaming operators, or MCNs, enterprises should request written confirmation of blacklist status and conduct independent checks via Douyin’s publicly accessible blacklist interface (if available) or through legal/compliance counsel. Contract clauses should explicitly require representation and warranty of non-blacklisted status and indemnification for misrepresentation.

Assess interdependencies between domestic marketing compliance and cross-border trade credentials

For exporters and cross-border e-commerce firms, the linkage between Douyin’s blacklist and Customs’ credit system means domestic marketing practices now carry regulatory weight beyond platform-level consequences. Internal compliance teams should map all third-party marketing relationships to identify potential AEO risk exposure points and document due diligence efforts for future Customs audits.

Update internal anti-fraud training and whistleblower protocols for frontline staff

Given the 83 internal cases reported, frontline personnel involved in vendor management, campaign execution, or finance reconciliation are high-risk touchpoints. Companies should reinforce mandatory anti-fraud training modules focused on red-flag identification (e.g., unusual invoice patterns, unverified traffic sources, off-platform payment requests) and clarify internal reporting channels aligned with Douyin’s integrity reporting standards.

Editorial Perspective / Industry Observation

Observably, this report signals a formal institutionalization of platform-led integrity governance — moving beyond reactive enforcement to systemic risk containment. The integration with Customs’ credit infrastructure suggests Douyin’s anti-fraud framework is evolving into a de facto component of China’s broader commercial trust architecture. Analysis shows this is less a one-off disciplinary action and more an early-stage infrastructure rollout: the blacklist remains narrowly scoped (currently limited to specific service categories), lacks transparent appeal procedures, and shows no evidence of retroactive application beyond 2025 cases. From an industry perspective, it is best understood not as an immediate operational disruption, but as a calibrated warning — indicating where regulatory expectations are hardening, and where contractual and compliance diligence must now extend beyond traditional legal boundaries into platform-specific governance regimes.

This development underscores a structural recalibration: platform compliance is no longer optional for digital commerce participants — it is becoming a prerequisite for participation in adjacent regulatory domains, including cross-border trade. Current understanding should emphasize continuity over crisis: the mechanism is active, but its full implementation scale and enforcement thresholds remain subject to further clarification.

Information Sources

Main source: Douyin Group, ‘2025 Annual Anti-Fraud Report’, published April 30, 2026.
Interoperability detail confirmed via official notice issued jointly by Douyin Group and General Administration of Customs (GACC), referenced in the report’s annex.
Note: Details regarding blacklist access interface, appeal process, and future expansion plans remain pending official publication and are subject to ongoing observation.