Several companies and billionaires are reportedly making moves to acquire or merge with ByteDance’s popular social media app TikTok amid a U.S. ban on the platform. Perplexity AI has submitted an offer to merge TikTok with New Capital Partners, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been mentioned as a potential buyer for ByteDance’s U.S. operations.
The U.S. government imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok earlier this month due to concerns over user data and national security. However, President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to delay the ban in order to “make a deal to protect our national security.” Trump proposed shifting TikTok to a joint venture with at least 50% U.S. ownership.
Potential buyers include Amazon, which has deepened its relationship with the platform, as well as Rumble, a video-sharing platform that offered to buy TikTok in March 2024. Other companies, such as Microsoft and Oracle, have also made offers on the app in the past, but ultimately fell through due to security concerns.
ByteDance’s valuation is estimated at around $100 billion, including the algorithm, according to analyst Dan Ives. The company has denied any wrongdoing or links to the Chinese government, claiming that the proposed ban was “simply not possible.”
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen which buyer will ultimately acquire TikTok and whether the app will return to the U.S. market.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2025/01/19/these-billionaires-companies-and-investors-elon-musk-kevin-oleary-and-more-could-buy-tiktok-as-ban-starts