Islamabad, Apr 3, 2025: SAN FRANCISCO In a surprising move, Amazon has reportedly submitted a last-minute proposal to acquire TikTok, the popular video-sharing platform facing potential prohibition in the United States unless divested by its Chinese parent company, as per a report by the New York Times on Wednesday.
The bid was conveyed in an official letter addressed to key figures involved in negotiations concerning TikTok’s ownership transfer, aimed at addressing U.S. national security apprehensions, according to the Times.
President Donald Trump has downplayed concerns regarding TikTok’s potential ban in the U.S., expressing optimism that a buyer will be secured for the app’s American operations before the approaching Saturday deadline.
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Multiple media outlets have indicated that Trump is scheduled to confer with senior White House aides on Wednesday to explore possible resolutions.
Sources cited by the Times suggest that the stakeholders engaged in the discussions are not giving significant weight to Amazon’s proposal.
Instead, the most viable outcome appears to involve existing U.S. investors in ByteDance converting their holdings into shares of a newly formed, independent global TikTok entity.
To further minimize Chinese ownership, additional American investors, including the tech giant Oracle and the private equity powerhouse Blackstone, would be incorporated into the restructured entity.
A significant portion of TikTok’s U.S.-based operations is already hosted on Oracle’s cloud infrastructure. Additionally, Oracle’s chairman, Larry Ellison, is a well-known supporter of Trump, which could influence the deal’s trajectory.
TikTok faces imminent restrictions under a law enacted last year, which mandates that the platform sever ties with ByteDance or face a complete ban within the United States.
With the deadline drawing near, the pressure to finalize a resolution is intensifying.
