Who’s Buying TikTok? What We Know So Far

After four years of concerns about user data privacy, TikTok’s future remains uncertain in the U.S. In January 2025, the app went offline briefly in the U.S., before being restored. TikTok returned to both the Google Play Store and App Store in February.

Another potential ban was avoided on April 5, but now several buyers are vying for the chance to buy the app.

The bipartisan law is still at play, which mandates that ByteDance sell the app. President Donald Trump confirmed in April that several investors were close to a deal.

However, there may also be a U.S. deal where China would agree to sell TikTok in exchange for tariff relief.

Who Might Buy TikTok?

A final TikTok deal could go in any direction at the moment. Trump has said more than once that he would consider selling TikTok to Elon Musk. However, Musk has no apparent interest in buying the app.

Trump also said he would have no problem selling the app to Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

Before the April 5 deadline, CBS reported that Amazon had made a last-minute offer and sent it to the White House. However, Amazon has not formally confirmed this.

Other Potential Buyers

These are far from being the only contenders. Other potential TikTok buyers include Kevin O’Leary and Frank McCourt. O’Leary is a celebrity investor on Shark Tank, while McCourt is a well-known billionaire.

Tim Stokely offered to buy TikTok and make it part of Zoop, his recently re-launched business, in a somewhat strange move. Stokely is the founder of OnlyFans.

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as YouTube’s MrBeast, said he would consider buying TikTok. However, he would be part of a group of investors who would all be involved in the purchase.

Even the co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian, has expressed interest in buying TikTok; he joined Frank McCourt’s bid in March 2025.

Other potential buyers include Microsoft, Andreessen Horowitz, Perplexity AI, and Blackstone.

The White House is considering all its options but would prefer to allow ByteDance to continue owning the TikTok algorithm. Still, it would have to lease it to a new company operating TikTok in the U.S.

What Is TikTok’s Position?

TikTok insists it won't sell the platform as of the end of April 2025. At the same time, rumors made the rounds that ByteDance was considering selling the app minus the algorithm. It is important to note that ByteDance denied this.

But what would happen if the sale is forced through? Would TikTok even work without its algorithm?

Why Is the Algorithm a Contentious Issue?

In 2020, the TikTok algorithm broke new ground on social media. It didn’t look or work like the recommendations on other social media platforms.

Instead of building recommendations based on who you follow, it tailors a feed specifically based on how you interacted with certain videos.

For instance, if you watched many wrestling videos, you would see a lot of similar content in your feed. If you watch wrestling videos only, you will see those videos, even if you don’t follow anyone who creates wrestling videos.

The algorithm's uniqueness is also why it is so valuable to TikTok. If someone bought the app and tried to build a new version of the algorithm, it could work, but it wouldn’t work as well.

Current Status of a Potential Sale

There have been several months of negotiations and discussions. There have also been several deadline extensions. However, a purchase agreement has yet to be announced.

Sources close to U.S. investors revealed that negotiations continue behind the scenes. There has been no sign-off on any agreement from the Chinese government, and the U.S. congressional support is still pending.

President Trump’s comment on May 4 suggests there is more flexibility on the timing of the TikTok sale. Still, he emphasized that his administration was after a clean U.S. ownership outcome.

What Happens If TikTok Is Sold in 2025?

If a sale were to happen in 2025, certain impacts on users would be inevitable.

• Uptime and updates may be affected positively.

  Any upcoming ban would likely be averted if there were a formal sale. In turn, this would prevent the app’s removal from app stores.

• Localized data.

  The buyer will likely be required to host U.S. user data on American servers. It is believed that a third party or government-approved custodian would manage this process.

• Stewardship over the algorithm.

  Beijing is unlikely to cede control of the algorithm. As such, the new owners would only have access to a white-box regime. Independent auditors must verify the algorithm's integrity without giving away proprietary code.

• Transition risks.

  Experts warn of app slowdowns and outages due to migrating data sets and rerouting content-delivery networks.

• Regulatory issues.

  The final CFIUS sign-off could take several months after the sale is announced. It is unlikely that updates and features will be rolled out during this time.

A sale would likely not be only bad news or good news. For instance, if TikTok becomes a U.S.-owned platform, it would probably experience a surge in ad spending. This is mainly because brands would regain confidence in the app’s data security.

Under new ownership, TikTok in America may accelerate e-commerce integration, including live shopping.

User Experience After a TikTok Sale

The user experience will also be impacted if TikTok is sold. A U.S.-based owner would likely standardize content moderation based on American legal norms.

This process could see a change in community guidelines and take-down processes.

Furthermore, new operators would possibly publish transparency reports. These would have to do with removal requests and content-moderation metrics.

National Security and Regulatory Outcomes

Even after selling TikTok, the U.S. would possibly remain under the CFIUS’s safe harbor. It would require annual compliance certifications and on-site audits.

It is also likely that the TikTok deal would create a template for U.S.-China tech decoupling negotiations. This would influence future cross-border deals that include AI, telecom, and other sectors.

Averting a Ban Is the Main Concern

Currently, a sale would avert a nationwide ban, which is a major concern for U.S. TikTok users.

Selling the platform would also preserve the current network effects and user base. Moreover, it would introduce extensive U.S.-based governance, including CFIUS oversight.

At the same time, it would set a precedent for regulating foreign-owned digital platforms in the U.S.