The long-running geopolitical tug-of-war over the world’s most popular short-form video application appears to have reached its finale, resolving a five-year saga that bridged two US presidencies and a brief nationwide service blackout.
Following months of high-stakes negotiation brokered by the returned Trump administration, the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s presence in the American market has effectively ended. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew confirmed to staff on Thursday that parent company ByteDance has entered into binding agreements to divest a controlling stake in its American operations.
The Deal Structure
The agreement involves selling just over 80 per cent of the company’s US assets to a consortium of heavyweight investors. The buying group includes American cloud computing giant Oracle (ORCL.N), private equity firm Silver Lake, and the Abu Dhabi-based investment company MGX.
The new entity will operate under the name TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, explicitly referencing "US Data Security"—a nod to the years of legislative scrutiny regarding the app's handling of American user data. The deal is scheduled to close on January 22, 2026.
From Blackout to Buyout
The path to this sale has been volatile. While concerns over Chinese state influence began during Donald Trump’s first term in 2020, they culminated in the passing of a divest-or-ban law signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024.
The standoff reached its nadir on January 18, 2025, when the deadline for divestiture expired. For nearly 24 hours, TikTok ceased functioning for millions of American users and vanished from the Apple and Google app stores. Service was only restored the following day after then-President-elect Trump intervened, promising to revive the platform upon his inauguration—a stark reversal from his 2020 stance where he signed the initial executive order attempting to ban the app.
A Geopolitical Pivot
The sale represents a complex victory for all parties involved. For Washington, placing the platform under majority ownership of US-aligned entities like Oracle and Silver Lake addresses the national security concerns that drove the initial legislation. For ByteDance, retaining a minority stake allows them to keep a foothold in their most lucrative market, avoiding a total exit.
Analysts suggest the inclusion of Oracle is strategic, as the company has long been ByteDance’s partner in "Project Texas," an initiative designed to wall off US user data from Chinese servers.
Timeline: The Five-Year Saga of TikTok in the US
U.S. and Pakistani leaders forecast a Sunday signing of a long-elusive framework agreement to end fighting between the United States and Iran, as Reut...
Tajikistan has strengthened its position as one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and D...
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to close out the series 4-1 and claim their first NBA championship since 1973, sparking celeb...
In the runup to the G7 summit, hosted by France in Évian-les-Bains on Monday, 15 June, China has addressed global economic balances in a videoconfer...
Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stabilit...
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday approving the transfer of TikTok’s U.S. operations from Chinese owner ByteDance to a consortium of American investors, preventing the app from being banned under U.S. national security law.
President Donald Trump said in the Oval Office that Chinese President Xi Jinping had approved a deal for U.S. firms to acquire TikTok’s American operations, calling an earlier phone call with Xi “very productive” on trade, fentanyl, Ukraine, and the TikTok deal.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. and China have a deal that would keep TikTok operating in the United States, transferring its U.S. assets to U.S. owners from China's ByteDance, potentially resolving a saga that has lingered for nearly a year.
A framework deal has been reached between the U.S. and China over the ownership of social media platform TikTok, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said following trade talks in Madrid.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching consequences”, after India's water minister said New Delhi was working to ensure that “not a single drop” of water reaches Pakistan in the coming years.
Armenia has every right to choose Europe. But Europe’s support for Armenia’s direction should not become automatic approval of its political process.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
Japan’s birth rate and fertility levels have fallen to their lowest levels on record, highlighting the country’s worsening demographic crisis as fewer people marry and have children.
The global race to develop quantum computing is accelerating, with governments and technology firms investing heavily in what is expected to become a major new computing era.
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to close out the series 4-1 and claim their first NBA championship since 1973, sparking celebrations across New York City.
In the runup to the G7 summit, hosted by France in Évian-les-Bains on Monday, 15 June, China has addressed global economic balances in a videoconference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. It is a rarity for Beijing to engage directly with the group.
Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stability and the country's ties with the European Union over immigration concerns.
Romania's centrist President Nicușor Dan on Sunday designated Adrian Veștea, a member of the liberal party, as prime minister, after independent candidate Eugen Tomac withdrew.
North Korea said on Sunday, 14 June, that denuclearisation is a matter that is irreversibly terminated, in a condemnation of recent nuclear deterrence talks between the U.S. and South Korea.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment