Time is ticking for TikTok’s future In the United States, a Saturday deadline might result in the video-sharing platform being prohibited in the country.
However, that situation seems improbable. President Donald Trump has hinted at a final-hour agreement to rescue it.
This follows the US Supreme Court's decision on January 17 affirming that TikTok posed a threat to national security because of its connections with China. The court mandated that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, must either sell to an American entity or be banned from operating within the United States.
On January 19, TikTok became inaccessible for U.S. users as the new law came into force. However, one day later, when Trump was inaugurated, he issued an executive order that postponed the platform’s potential sale or prohibition by 75 days.
TikTok has returned to service, providing ByteDance with additional time to locate a foreign purchaser. However, the April 5 deadline is rapidly approaching, and despite various speculations regarding potential buyers, no official bids have been confirmed yet.
Below are the potential futures for TikTok within the United States along with the prospective purchasers.
Scenario 1: The legislation has been put on hold (once more)
Trump does not have the power to change the law, but he might delay its enforcement once more; he has mentioned that the deadline could be pushed back if necessary.
The previous instance of him doing this was via an executive order, which is essentially an official directive issued by the president.
The Supreme Court’s decision stated that the prohibition aimed at stopping China—a recognized foreign threat—from using its influence over ByteDance to obtain the private information of American TikTok users.
Scenario 2: TikTok 'turns gloomy'
The Chinese government might prefer to shut down the app in the U.S. instead of agreeing to a deal. It’s commonly believed thatByteDance would require approval from the Chinese government to proceed with the sale.
This implies that both Apple and Google will stop permitting U.S. users from downloading the app, and the platform will be deactivated for its 170 million American users.
In late March, Trump stated that he might grant China a tariff cut if Beijing consented to a TikTok agreement.
"Perhaps I'll offer them a slight decrease in tariffs or something similar to make this happen," Trump said to reporters in the Oval Office.
Scenario 3: A purchaser has been identified
The last situation involves the potential of having a buyer in progress, with us clinching the deal at the very last minute.
Here are potential new owners:
Amazon
The e-commerce behemoth Amazon was allegedly assembling an eleventh-hour offer, according to a report from a Trump administration official cited by The New York Times on Wednesday.
An unnamed official informed the newspaper that Amazon had presented their proposal in a letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Frank McCourt dan Kevin O'Leary
In January, Kevin O'Leary, who hosts the U.S. investment program 'Shark Tank,' along with Frank McCourt, the founder of Project Liberty and a prominent real estate tycoon, made an official bid to acquire TikTok. They were joined by several other potential investors in this proposal.
The collective has named themselves 'The People’s Bid for TikTok' because they claim they would gather minimal user information.
The investors within the consortium have reportedly proposed offering ByteDance $20 billion (approximately €19 billion) in cash for the platform.
MrBeast and Jesse Tinsley
American YouTuber MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, teamed up with Jesse Tinsley, the founder of Employer.com, as per reports from CNN.
"Our offer represents a win-win solution that preserves this vital platform while addressing legitimate national security concerns," Tinsley said in January.
He mentioned that the team would consist of additional investors.
"We’re ready to act swiftly and have put together a group with extensive expertise in technology, content management, and platform regulation," he stated.
Perplexity
In January, artificial intelligence firm Perplexity proposed a merger with TikTok, aiming for a joint ownership structure where both parties would hold a 50% share.
In March, the firm mentioned that their TikTok platform would feature a clearer algorithm and gain advantages from Perplexity’s AI framework.
The firm stated that a TikTok revamped and driven by Perplexity would produce the planet’s premier hub for creativity and knowledge exploration.
Oracle
Several media outlets have reported that Oracle, the software firm, is also attempting to acquire TikTok.
According to the Financial Times, the deal might additionally originate from the venture capital company Andreessen Horowitz. The report also mentioned that theOracle bid is among the leading contenders.
Other possible buyers
In January, Trump mentioned that Microsoft had shown interest in acquiring the application; however, the company hasn’t issued an official statement verifying this claim.
Other involved parties include Steven Mnuchin, who previously served as Treasury Secretary under Trump.
The video platform Rumble, favored by certain conservative and far-right factions, likewise showed interest in acquiring TikTok in the previous year.
Neither TikTok nor ByteDance has made any public statements regarding a possible purchaser.
