Brian McCourt, the entrepreneur behind a proposed bid for TikTok, claims he has secured $20 billion in commitments from major investors. However, the identities of these investors remain unknown.
McCourt believes that this diverse group of investors includes prominent private equity firms, large family offices, and alternative asset managers. He also suggests that existing ByteDance investors will be interested in rolling over their investments into a US-based TikTok spin-off.
MrBeast, a popular YouTuber, has publicly expressed interest in buying TikTok. McCourt confirmed that MrBeast is part of the bid, describing him as “very entrepreneurial.” However, representatives for MrBeast did not comment on the matter.
McCourt also acknowledged potential partnerships with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and X owner Elon Musk, but stated that any agreement would need to align with shared values and principles.
The main challenge in McCourt’s bid is the politics surrounding TikTok’s future. “It’s really the politics of this that’s very, very challenging,” he said. Despite this, McCourt believes his $20 billion bid accurately reflects the value of TikTok’s US arm, which he estimates to be worth around 8% of the total company.
TikTok’s service was briefly restored on Sunday after going dark due to a US law passed last year that set a deadline for the app to be sold to a US owner. President Trump signed an executive order in January to delay enforcing this law by 75 days.
McCourt views his bid as an opportunity to address national security issues, improve internet regulation, and promote free speech. He plans to use his investment group’s experience in building Project Liberty, a non-profit organization focused on creating a safer and more equitable internet.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/01/22/mrbeast-tiktok-frank-mccourt