Who could buy TikTok in the US? Photo / Jaap Arriens / NurPhoto via Getty Images
Who could buy TikTok in the US? Photo / Jaap Arriens / NurPhoto via Getty Images
As the clock ticks down on TikTok’s 75-day reprieve from divesting from its Chinese owners or being banned in the United States, several contenders are in the running.
Here’s a look at who could save the app before the April 5 deadline.
Elon Musk
While Musk hasn’t publicly expressed interestin acquiring TikTok, his US$44 billion acquisition of Twitter (now X) in 2022 demonstrates his appetite for social media investments.
Musk has criticised the potential ban, arguing: “It is not just about TikTok, it is about censorship and government control!”
His close relationship with the Trump administration and the US president’s explicit openness to Musk as a buyer have fueled speculation the Tesla titan could sweep in and buy it.
A report Chinese officials were considering selling the company’s US operations to Musk X was met with a firm denial from TikTok.
Larry Ellison
Oracle, led by Larry Ellison, already plays a crucial role in TikTok’s US operations as its trusted data storage provider – a relationship that dates back to previous negotiations during the first Trump administration.
With Ellison’s personal fortune of US$207b – ranking behind only Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, according to Forbes – Oracle is frequently mentioned as a frontrunner. Ellison is also a long-time Donald Trump ally.
Currently, Oracle is key to keeping TikTok available to US users at the request of Trump.
Could Oracle board chairman and chief technology officer Larry Ellison buy the US arm of TikTok? Photo / Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Microsoft
US tech colossus Microsoft stands out as a compelling potential buyer, armed with deep pockets and significant technological capabilities in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Asked late on Monday if Microsoft was in discussion for acquiring TikTok, Trump told reporters: “I would say yes.”
While the company founded by Bill Gates has historically dominated in productivity and enterprise software, it has struggled to establish a strong presence in social media and search-based advertising.
According to CFRA Research senior vice-president Angelo Zino, Microsoft’s interest stems from a desire to strengthen its position beyond LinkedIn, which it owns, in the digital advertising space.
MrBeast
Internet personality MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, commands over 340 million YouTube subscribers and 113 million TikTok followers. He has joined forces with Recruiter.com Ventures founder Jesse Tinsley to pursue an acquisition.
“Okay, fine, I’ll buy TikTok so it doesn’t get banned,” Donaldson said in a mid-January post on X.
Donaldson’s casual tweet reportedly attracted serious attention from numerous billionaires. The group has made an all-cash offer they claim addresses US national security concerns while preserving the platform’s essence.
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is the star of the most-subscribed-to channel on YouTube, with more than 316 million followers. Forbes estimated he made US$82 million between June 2022 and June 2023 and may be the platform's highest earner. Donaldson also owns one of the most followed accounts on TikTok. Photo / @mrbeast
Project Liberty
Real estate and sports tycoon Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative has launched “The People’s Bid for TikTok” in a campaign joined by investor Kevin O’Leary, known from the television show Shark Tank, in which entrepreneurs pitch ideas in bids for venture capital.
This unique approach includes a crowdfunding element aimed at giving individuals and small businesses a stake in TikTok’s future.
McCourt emphasizes their “clean, American-made tech stack” as a key differentiator that could enable a seamless transition.
Perplexity AI
The AI-powered search engine has proposed a unique merger structure that would allow ByteDance’s investors to retain much of their equity while integrating more TikTok video content into Perplexity’s platform, according to a CNBC report.
Steven Mnuchin
Steven Mnuchin, who served as the secretary of the US Treasury during Trump’s first term as president, announced last year he was amassing investors to bid for TikTok.
When asked about the effort recently on CNBC’s programme Squawk Box, Mnuchin said it was put on hold because ByteDance would not negotiate but that they were going to be following developments closely.
No deal?
“The real question, though, is: Will TikTok sell to any of them?” independent tech analyst Rob Enderle said of the situation.
TikTok does not appear overly motivated regarding the sale of the app, and Chinese firm DeepSeek’s AI chatbot has grabbed the tech community’s attention – potentially taking the spotlight off TikTok.
