From WIRED · Caroline Haskins · · 3m
Stripping copper wire for cash is TikTok's newest trend
Creators are posting videos of themselves stripping copper wire and selling it for scrap, turning a tedious task into content that earns money both ways.
In brief
Creators are posting videos of themselves stripping copper wire and selling it for scrap, turning a tedious task into content that earns money both ways. A growing number of TikTok creators are documenting the process of stripping copper wire to sell as scrap metal, earning money from both the metal sales and the…
A new TikTok trend emerges
Users on TikTok are documenting the process of stripping copper wire to sell for extra cash. The videos show complex appliances broken down and industrial wire split apart, leaving bundles of glistening amber copper.
Who is doing this
The participants are diverse.Some are hobbyists or electricians looking for extra income.Others claim to be saving for big purchases, and some appear to be cash-strapped teenagers.They speak English, French, Spanish, German, and Romanian.
Why copper is valuable now
Selling scrap copper is nothing new. The metal is relatively scarce, a strong electrical conductor, and fully recyclable. But copper prices reached an all-time high this year, making it an opportune moment for scrappers.
The price spike
In September, according to International Monetary Fund data, copper was worth about fourteen thousand four hundred seventy-three dollars per metric ton, or about seven point twenty-three dollars per pound.
When copper theft increases
Craig Depken II, chair and professor of economics at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, says copper theft tends to increase under two conditions.The first is when copper prices are rising.
The legal landscape
It is legal to sell lawfully obtained copper everywhere in the United States except Minnesota, which requires a state-issued license. On TikTok, it is easy to find copper-themed accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers.
Wire stripper sales boom
On TikTok Shop, beginners can buy their own wire stripper, the small tool that separates copper from its plastic or rubber coating.
Making the tedious bearable
Insulated copper sells for a fraction of the price of stripped copper, so many resellers remove it themselves to earn more.But the process can be tedious.
Courtney's house fund
The creator Courtney two thousand two hundred ninety-one began documenting her efforts to strip enough copper to save twenty thousand dollars for a three-bedroom home earlier this year.
Where the real money came from
On October ten, a little over six months after she started, Courtney announced she had reached her fundraising goal.But most of the money did not come from selling copper.
TikTok earnings dwarf scrap sales
One TikTok video generated one thousand four hundred forty-six dollars after racking up six point eight million views, according to an earnings screenshot Courtney displayed.
“Once the house is mine, and it's all set up and ready to be lived in, then I'll continue pretty much the same kind of content.”
King and Queen of Copper
Other popular copper creators, including King of Copper and Queen of Copper, take a different approach, emphasizing scale and spectacle over personal storytelling.
Selling tools and products
Another way copper accounts earn revenue is by marketing wire strippers and other goods for sale on TikTok Shop.When viewers purchase products through links in videos, creators earn a commission on each sale.
Offline communities matter
Online, copper scrapping can seem like a solitary pursuit.Offline, however, scrappers sometimes form communities less apparent on TikTok.
The bottom line
A growing number of TikTok creators are documenting the process of stripping copper wire to sell as scrap metal, earning money from both the metal sales and the videos themselves.
