Rumble Shorts: Free Speech Platform Rumble Launches TikTok Competitor

YouTube rival Rumble has launched TikTok alternative, Rumble Shorts on rumble.com/shorts, introducing a swipeable, personalized feed for vertical short-form videos under 90 seconds. The feature is now live on the platform’s homepage and individual creator channels, enabling users to discover content and creators while supporting them through Rumble Wallet tipping.

Mobile app versions are expected later in February 2026, pending app store approvals, CEO Chris Pavlovski announced on X, emphasizing the platform’s commitment to free expression. “Rumble Shorts provides a digestible viewing option, and of course, there’s free speech with every swipe,” he said.

Pavlovski added that the new feature strengthens Rumble’s mission to be “the best place on the Internet for content creators” by boosting discovery, amplifying long-form content, and offering new monetization pathways.

The launch of Rumble Shorts is part of a broader strategy to build a free speech ecosystem, complementing earlier initiatives like the non-custodial Rumble Wallet—launched in partnership with Tether. The wallet supports USDT, USAT, XAUt, and BTC, enabling instant, censorship-resistant tipping directly within the platform, powered by Tether’s Wallet Development Kit (WDK).

This move comes amid heightened competition with TikTok, which faces backlash over data security and censoirship concerns. In March 2024, Pavlovski publicly offered to acquire and operate TikTok’s U.S. operations if ByteDance divested from the platform, positioning Rumble as a free-speech alternative. TikTok US was recently acquired instead by a consortium led by Oracle's Larry Ellison, a top donor to the Israel Defense Force.

Rumble’s growth has been fueled by its appeal to creators disillusioned with mainstream platforms. After a surge in users during the 2020 election and pandemic, Rumble grew from ~1 million to over 60 million monthly active users. The platform continues to expand through strategic partnerships, including with Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which uses Rumble Cloud for its Truth Social platform. The company also plans a business partnership with Northern Data to expand GPU and data center capacity.

Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ: RUM), founded in 2013 by Pavlovski, positions itself as a “free speech alternative” to Big Tech. It remains a Freedom-First technology platform focused on cloud, AI, and digital media, built on principles of customer independence, free speech, and decentralized monetization, the company says.