Talks led by the White House to determine TikTok’s future are coalescing around a proposal that would have some of ByteDance’s largest non-Chinese investors increase their stakes and acquire the U.S. operations of the popular short video app.
The plan, according to two sources familiar with the discussions, involves spinning off a U.S. entity for TikTok and reducing Chinese ownership to below the 20 percent limit mandated by U.S. law—an effort aimed at saving the app from an imminent ban on national security grounds.
The proposed deal has drawn strong support from existing ByteDance investors, including Jeff Yass’ Susquehanna International Group and Bill Ford’s General Atlantic, both of which sit on ByteDance’s board. Private equity firm KKR is also participating, the sources said. Under the plan, Oracle would continue to host U.S. user data and guarantee that it remains inaccessible to China, reinforcing assurances of data security.
The proposed restructuring comes in the wake of a law, effective January 19, that requires ByteDance to either divest its U.S. operations or face a ban. U.S. officials have raised concerns over TikTok’s Chinese ownership, arguing that it makes the app vulnerable to potential influence operations by the Chinese government—a claim the company denies, insisting that its content recommendation engine and user data are managed domestically.
White House involvement in the negotiations has been unprecedented, with the administration essentially taking on the role of an investment bank to broker a deal that would allow ByteDance to maintain a stake in TikTok while transferring operational control. The deal is seen as critical not only for TikTok’s survival in the U.S. market but also for setting a precedent in U.S.-China technology relations.
Other groups, including an investor consortium led by billionaire Frank McCourt and another involving YouTube personality Mr. Beast, are also reported to be vying for the app. However, current indications suggest that existing ByteDance investors are the frontrunners in the discussions.
Representatives for TikTok, ByteDance, Susquehanna, Oracle, and the White House could not immediately be reached for comment.
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ByteDance will take steps to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property on its artificial intelligence (AI) video generator Seedance 2.0, the Chinese technology firm said on Monday.
TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, has finalised a deal to create a majority American-owned joint venture that will secure U.S. user data, safeguarding the popular short-video app from a potential U.S. ban. The move comes after years of political and legal battles over national security concerns.
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.
President Donald Trump said he has American buyers ready for TikTok and could extend ByteDance’s divestment deadline, emphasizing he has no privacy or security concerns.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian ships approaching ports in the Strait of Hormuz would be "immediately eliminated" on Monday, as the U.S. started its blockade.
Millions of Orthodox Christians across the globe celebrated Easter, known as Holy Pascha, on Sunday (12 April) with midnight liturgies, candlelight processions and deeply rooted local traditions reflecting centuries of faith.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that talks with Pakistan had been positive, while Türkiye stressed the importance of stronger ties between Kabul and Islamabad.
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The U.S. military began a blockade of Iran's ports on Monday, President Donald Trump said, and Tehran threatened to retaliate against its Gulf neighbours' ports after talks in Islamabad on ending the war broke down at the weekend.
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