Trump Confirms Four US Bidders for TikTok Acquisition

The fate of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, but negotiations for its sale are progressing steadily. The 75-day period granted by President Donald Trump for the ByteDance subsidiary to find a buyer that would acquire at least 50% of its US operations is set to end on April 5. If no action is taken before that day, the social media platform could be restricted in the US.

Despite the uncertainty, prospects appear optimistic. Trump revealed that there are four interested parties in acquiring TikTok in the US and that a deal could be finalized soon. “We’re negotiating with four different groups, and a lot of people want to take control of TikTok,” the US President said in a press conference, without specifying the names of the potential buyers. He also refrained from favoring any of the bidders, stating that “all four are good.”

For TikTok, the US market is crucial, with its subsidiary in the country valued at around $50 billion. The federal legislation approved in April last year dictates that if a sale is not made before the deadline, the platform would be removed from app stores in the US. Although Trump recently left open the possibility of extending the deadline if needed, he also suggested that the operation could be completed before April 5, maintaining the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of this standoff between the White House and the Chinese company ByteDance.

A Chinese Government Approval for the Sale of TikTok in the US

On January 19, a federal law was implemented that prohibited TikTok in the US. However, the following day, Donald Trump signed an executive order that postponed the implementation of the regulation by 75 days, allowing the social media platform to resume its operations in the US. Trump has expressed his support for the sale of TikTok in the US, provided that the buyer is a US company that acquires at least 50% of the company. Although ByteDance, based in Beijing, has never publicly expressed its intention to sell, its CEO, Shou Chew, met with Trump in December at Mar-a-Lago and witnessed his inauguration in January. The parent company of TikTok has tried to mitigate the concerns of the US government regarding national security, aiming to maintain its operations in the country.

Despite the uncertainty, ByteDance continues to maintain a strong financial position, with a projected value of over $400 billion, surpassing last year’s figure. However, any potential sale of TikTok’s US business would require the approval of the Chinese government, which has not demonstrated a willingness to authorize the transaction. In recent months, speculation has emerged that Beijing might consider selling TikTok to Elon Musk, given his good relationship with Chinese authorities.

Several parties have publicly expressed their interest in buying TikTok in the US, including a consortium led by Frank McCourt and Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit. Another group, led by entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley and YouTuber MrBeast, as well as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, has also shown interest. Trump has also mentioned Microsoft and Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, as potential buyers.

  • Key players involved in the potential sale of TikTok in the US include:
    • ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok
    • President Donald Trump and the White House
    • Potential buyers, such as Frank McCourt, Alexis Ohanian, Jesse Tinsley, MrBeast, Perplexity AI, Microsoft, and Larry Ellison
  • Important dates:
    • April 5: Deadline for the sale of TikTok’s US operations
    • January 19: Federal law prohibiting TikTok in the US was implemented
    • December: ByteDance CEO Shou Chew met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago

As the deadline for the sale of TikTok’s US operations approaches, the situation remains uncertain, with multiple parties involved and various factors at play. The outcome of this situation will have significant implications for the social media landscape in the US and the global economy.

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