Tech Giants Eye Tiktok’s Future
Major technology companies, including Oracle and Microsoft, along with an AI startup, have emerged as potential buyers for Tiktok’s operations as Baitedan faces increasing pressure to comply with U.S. regulatory requirements.
On Saturday (January 25), U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he was in discussions with multiple parties about acquiring Tiktok, indicating that a decision might come within the next 30 days.
“I spoke with many people about Tiktok, and Tiktok has great interest,” Trump was quoted by Reuters while aboard Air Force One during a flight in Florida.
Ongoing Negotiations and Stakeholders
NPR reported that the Trump administration is negotiating with Oracle on a plan to safeguard Tiktok, with the software company and other investors, including Microsoft, looking to acquire its global operations.
The reported plan involves Butterfly retaining a minority stake, while Oracle oversees the application’s algorithm, data collection, and software updates.
“I spoke with many people about Tiktok, and Tiktok has great interest.”
Donald Trump, U.S. President
Negotiations by NPR revealed that officials from Oracle and the White House met on Friday (January 24) to discuss a potential transaction, with another meeting scheduled for this week.
Sources indicated that Oracle is prepared to invest “tens of billions” in Tiktok.
Interestingly, in 2020, Oracle was involved in a failed attempt to acquire Tiktok, even after receiving Trump’s approval then.
Potential Acquisition and Competitive Landscape
Meanwhile, The embarrassment of AI proposed creating a new organization that would merge its activities with Tiktok’s U.S. operations, potentially holding 50% state ownership after a public proposal valued at least $300 billion, as per a report from Associated Press reported.
Trump confirmed considerable interest in the platform while speaking to reporters on Air Force One, but denied a direct involvement with Oracle.
“Larry (Ellison) is my friend,” Trump said. “I never talked with Larry about Tiktok. I spoke with many people about Tiktok. There is a great interest in Tiktok.”
“Many people talk to me, very solid people, about buying it, and I will probably make this decision over the next 30 days. Congress gave 90 days. If we can save Tiktok, I think it would be good,” Trump quoted Reuters as saying.
The competitive bid for Tiktok has also drawn interest from other notable figures, including Elon Musk, real estate mogul Frank McCourt, and Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary. The discussions notably exclude Walmart, which was part of a previous acquisition attempt in 2020 but has reportedly withdrawn due to pricing issues.
Negotiations for Tiktok’s acquisition have gained urgency following a recent order from Trump, which ensures a 75-day extension for the withdrawal of Baitedan from Tiktok. The platform, used by 170 million Americans, faces a potential ban if a deal is not reached.
