A 3D printed miniature model for US President -elect Donald Trump and the Tiktok logo appears in this illustration that was taken on January 19, 2025.
Due to Rovik Reuters
President Donald Trump wants an American investor to get a large share in BYTEDANCE. There are many parties in a dispute even at a time when potential buyers face a series of obstacles and legal barriers.
After interfering to restore Tiktok in the United States and delay a law that would effectively prohibit the application, Trump is looking for ways to keep the popular platform standing on its feet.
He offered a proposal for an American stakeholder to purchase the company and then sell a 50 % stake to the US government, which will join the application jointly with the private party.
According to Trump, Trump said on Saturday that he is holding talks with several people about the purchase of Tiktok and that he is likely to decide his future during the next thirty days.
So, who are the potential competitors for one of the most popular applications in the United States?
Ilon Musk
Trump has already referred to many major investors in his internal circle as acceptable buyers, one of whom is Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX.
The richest person in the world leads the new Trump administration for government efficiency, has close trade relations with China and has close trade relations with China. She expressed her opposition To ban Tik Talk.
Bloomberg said earlier this month that the Chinese government is studying a plan to make a mask capture on the operations of Tek Tok in the United States, citing unknown sources. This came after a report from the Wall Street Journal, who claimed that the CEO of Tiktok was so Seam advice from musk Prior to Trump’s inauguration.
CNBC could not reach Musk for comment.
“Elon Musk is still in front and center as a possible offer to buy Tiktok, which is likely to include some technology / external investor partners to complete the deal,” the financial services company Wedbush Securities said in a research note on Wednesday.
“Musk will be chosen by Beijing, and its strong relationship with Trump will make this a very logical choice from our point of view,” the memo added.
Nat Shendler, an analyst at Scotiia Bank, also indicated that a mask acquisition on Twitter showed his interest in global social media platforms. However, he also sees some potential obstacles in front of the technology pole.
“Musk is already criticized for having X and perception that he uses it to promote certain political ideas, and any post in Tiktok can spark additional criticism and possibly audit to combat monopoly,” said Shendler.
Larry Ellson
Trump also said he “would like” to see Oracle President Larry Ellison bought the platform.
Ellison, Trump’s supporter for a long time, I stood beside the president in press conference Regarding his plans to invest in artificial intelligence infrastructure on Tuesday, questions were asked to Trump about a possible deal with Tiktok.
“What I think about saying to someone is, buy it, and give the half to the United States of America. Half and we will give you the permit,” Trump said before he went to Ellison to ask whether the deal appears to be reasonable.
Ellison replied, “It looks a good deal for me, Mr. President.”
Elson and his company is currently located in the Tiktok dilemma center, and they work as a provider of the BYTEDANCE cloud infrastructure in the United States.
She said that, given her current relationship with Tech Talk, Oracle “invests directly for the success of Tech Talk in the region.”
Elson gave an offer to buy Tiktok, along with Wal MartAgain in 2020 when Trump first pushed a ban on the platform. None of the two companies responded to the CNBC request for comment.
Trump agreed to the Walmart-Oracle deal in principle, which would have witnessed a partnership between technology and retail trading giants to acquire video post application in the United States, and avoid closing. However, the Trump administration’s attempt to ban Tiktok in the United States has failed to face legal challenges.
Elson later joined a group of investors who helped Elon Musk purchased the social media platform, now known as X, in 2022.
“(We believe) that Oracle/Elison can play a pivotal role in any deal due to its main technological partnership with Tiktok and its appearance in the White House with Project Stargate,” Widbush said.
Wedbush added that she expects a large number of Tiktok offers to come in the coming weeks from a group of players led by Musk and Elison.
According to a General National Radio Report On Saturday, the Trump administration is working on a TIKTOK rescue plan that would include Oracle and a group of external investors to effectively control its global operations.
Amnesty International
Calolexity AI -based Caliplexity AI She made a offer to buy Tiktok to Bytedance on January 18, as she seeks to create a new built -in entity that combines Perplexity, Tiktok Us and new capital partners, CNBC learned.
After Trump’s comments on the structure of the Tiktok deal, the artificial intelligence company reviewed its merger proposal on Sunday to also allow the US government to own up to 50 % of the new company at the first public subscription in the future, according to the proposal document seen by CNBC.
The document suggests that the bytedance offer the Tiktok Us offer, without its recommendation algorithm, in exchange for current investors in the company’s shares in the integrated company.
According to what was reported, the deal will bring more videos to Perplexity – which has recently reached about $ 9 billion – as it gains increasing interest from investors amid the boom of artificial intelligence generated and competes with Openai and Google.
Big players, serious funds
Experts pointed to several other parties that are likely to be interested in a possible deal for Tiktok, adding that the barriers in front of the entry were high.
Paul Trioo of Albright Stone Group told CNBC, that, given the financial risks of the Tiktok deal, it is unlikely that some rogue investors and buy the platform at a cheap price.
He said: “Although it is difficult to reach an updated evaluation of Tiktok, it is likely that it will range between 40 and 80 billion dollars, which means that everyone who decides to jump must be prepared with some serious money.”
He added that it is likely that the potential suits will include some of the largest social media and technology operators, such as Dead and GoogleIn addition to Musk’s X.
Meta and Google did not immediately respond to the CNBC inquiry.
However, Sarah Kribes, Director of the Institute of Technology Policy at Cornell University, warned that players such as Meta, Google and Musk have a large share in Tiktok can raise questions related to combating monopoly.
Nat Shendler, a ScotiaBank analyst, noted that there are also a number of other players, including current investors. Black RockCategio, and the Atlantic Granule, who own hunk From the parent company to Tiktok. According to him, some of these investors are likely to participate in any sale of the American platform by investing in the new entity.
“It is also likely that other large investment capital companies, hedge funds and asset managers, from Tiger to Videliti, will also show interest in a global, rapidly growing platform with such a huge rule of viewers,” said Shendler. It succeeds. It is a problem.
Mr.
The enthusiasm surrounding Tiktok Us also led to some unconventional players in the battle.
Social media star Mrbeast – the real name Jimmy Donaldson – who has more than 100 million followers on Tiktok, published many videos in which he indicated his serious interest in buying the platform, claiming that he had conversations with billionaires.
In one of the videos, the Internet character claimed that he did so A ready -made official offerJudicially, he might be the new CEO of Tiktok.
Media reports We also mentioned that Donaldson and a group of investors are preparing to make an offer to buy Tiktok.
“Many potential buyers are conducting continuous discussions with Jimmy, but he does not have exclusive agreements with any of them,” Donaldson, Matthew Hiltzik, told CNBC.
“People’s offer to buy tiktok”
Under the founder of Liberty Frank McCort and with the participation of Canadian businessman and television figure Kevin Olieri, he presented the “People to buy Tiktok”, a $ 20 billion cash offer to buy Tiktok.
Olry told CNBC last year he wanted to do so Buy the platform at a reduced price because any possible deal will not include the original Tiktok algorithm. The organization said it already has a substitute for the algorithm to use it in Tiktok US
After Trump’s comments on a 50% stake on the platform, McCort and Olieri told CNBC this week that they are interested in Tiktok deal and hoped to work with Trump to achieve this.
McCort also told CNBC that he wanted from Tiktok to run a decentralized social network protocol, or DSNP, supervised by the Project Liberty Institute, a non -profit organization founded by billionaire.
Regardless of the benefit, a number of legal and technical experts told CNBC that Trump’s executive order to postpone the Tiktok ban is in contradiction to the former Supreme Court ruling to support PAFACA and may face legal opposition.
Olry also told CNBC on Monday that the Tiktok deal could not take place under the current law, after the Supreme Court supported the imminent prohibition on Tiktok under the current law. American protection law from foreign control applicationsOr Pafaca, on Sunday.
Beijing and its suspended negotiations with Trump on trade with the United States are also expected to play a decisive factor in whether the Chinese government will allow BYTEDAE to withdraw its investments.
“In this high -risk poker game between the Trump and Beijing administration, it is clear that Tech Tuk is a large segment on the table,” Widush said.
Hayden Field of CNBC contributed to this report
