As the U.S. government intensifies pressure on TikTok to divest its U.S. operations or face a potential ban, several prominent tech and investment firms—including Amazon and Microsoft—have reportedly emerged as prospective buyers. The urgency follows a legislative deadline set for April 5, driven by national security concerns around TikTok’s Chinese ownership and the potential misuse of American user data.
The U.S. has long scrutinized TikTok’s ties to its parent company, ByteDance, based in Beijing. Officials argue that the platform’s massive American user base—estimated at over 150 million—could be vulnerable to data access or manipulation by the Chinese government. The pending legislation would require TikTok to sell its U.S. business or be banned from operating domestically, a scenario that would significantly alter the social media landscape.
Among the rumored bidders is Amazon, which has reportedly submitted an offer. However, sources suggest the bid isn’t currently being taken seriously by U.S. officials. Microsoft, which previously teamed up with Walmart in an unsuccessful 2020 bid to acquire TikTok, has re-entered discussions and is once again considered a viable contender. Oracle, another former bidder, is reportedly positioning itself as a potential cloud infrastructure partner to support a future U.S.-based TikTok.
Walmart is also showing renewed interest, seeing TikTok as a valuable channel for driving social commerce and reaching younger audiences. Meanwhile, newer entrants like Perplexity AI are exploring synergies that could integrate AI search functionality into TikTok’s recommendation engine. Additionally, a consortium of U.S. investors—led by Employer.com CEO Jesse Tinsley and backed by figures including MrBeast and Roblox co-founder David Baszucki—has submitted a $30 billion all-cash bid, highlighting the scale of financial interest in the platform.
The final outcome will have far-reaching implications—not just for TikTok’s continued presence in the U.S., but also for how global tech companies navigate geopolitical tensions and data governance. As the April deadline approaches, TikTok’s future now hinges on whether one of these suitors can clear regulatory scrutiny and strike a deal fast enough to avoid an outright ban.
