The fate of TikTok in the United States has been a whirlwind of shifting deadlines and political negotiations. For years, the popular video-sharing app has been at the center of a geopolitical standoff between the U.S. and China, fueled by American national security concerns over user data and the potential for Chinese government influence.
While the story began with an attempted ban during the first Trump administration, the most recent chapter has seen a different approach. A law passed in 2024 set a deadline for TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban. This law was even upheld by the Supreme Court. However, in a surprising turn, the current administration has repeatedly extended this deadline, avoiding a nationwide shutdown and buying time for a deal to be brokered.
This strategy appears to have paid off. U.S. and Chinese officials recently announced they have reached a "framework" agreement to resolve the issue. While the precise details of the deal are still under wraps, the core of the agreement is a shift in TikTok's U.S. ownership to American control.
Who is the buyer?
While no official announcement has been made, speculation is mounting. A consortium of investors is widely believed to be the frontrunner. Key players in this potential deal reportedly include tech giant Oracle, which already handles TikTok's U.S. user data, along with investment firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz.
This new ownership structure is intended to address the long-standing security concerns. The deal would reportedly see ByteDance's ownership stake shrink significantly, and the new entity would be operated by a majority-American board. A major sticking point in past negotiations, the app's powerful recommendation algorithm, also appears to have been resolved, with the agreement allowing for the use of this intellectual property.
The "framework" agreement is a significant step forward, but it's not a done deal yet. The final terms are expected to be confirmed in an upcoming discussion between leaders of both nations. For now, the latest extension to the ban deadline gives both sides the necessary time to finalize the sale and, for users, ensures that the app they "very much wanted to save" will remain a part of their daily lives