- TikTok dismisses reports of a possible sale to Elon Musk’s X as “pure fiction.”
- The U.S. law mandates ByteDance sell or shut down TikTok’s U.S. operations by January 19.
- China’s officials reportedly considered selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Musk’s X.
Amid growing pressure from U.S. lawmakers, a report emerged suggesting that Chinese officials were exploring the possibility of selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk’s X. The transaction would potentially merge the popular video-sharing platform with the social media company formerly known as Twitter.
The U.S. Congress passed a law last year requiring ByteDance to either divest its ownership of TikTok or face a potential ban in the country. This law becomes effective just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Elon Musk’s X Could Potentially Take Over TikTok as U.S. Ban Looms
China’s reported interest in selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to Elon Musk’s X has captured attention amid the company’s struggle to avoid a ban in the United States. TikTok faces an ultimatum from U.S. lawmakers: sell the platform or face a shutdown by January 19. This deadline has created significant uncertainty around TikTok’s future in the U.S., with one option reportedly being the sale of its American arm to Musk’s social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Bloomberg report, citing unnamed sources, proposed that X could purchase TikTok and integrate it with the social media platform. However, TikTok has denied these claims, labeling them as “pure fiction.” Despite Musk’s position as the world’s wealthiest person, the report questions the feasibility of such a sale, raising concerns about how Musk would manage the financial and legal complexities involved in the deal. Additionally, it’s uncertain whether Musk would need to liquidate other assets to secure the purchase.
The U.S. law driving this situation, passed last year, requires ByteDance to either divest TikTok’s U.S. operations or shut it down entirely due to national security concerns. This law is set to take effect just before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office, intensifying the urgency. TikTok’s operations in the U.S. are valued between $40 billion and $50 billion, making any potential sale a significant transaction.
Elon Musk’s involvement in the TikTok situation reflects his extensive influence across the tech world. However, it remains unclear how Musk could finance the acquisition, given the substantial value of TikTok’s U.S. operations. As TikTok faces growing legal pressure, the possibility of a sale to Musk’s X remains speculative, leaving the platform’s future in the U.S. hanging in the balance.
As TikTok fights to avoid a ban, the potential sale to Musk’s X has been deemed unlikely by the platform itself. With the deadline approaching, the situation remains fluid.
“We cannot be expected to comment on pure fiction,” said TikTok’s spokesperson in response to the rumored sale of its U.S. operations to Elon Musk’s X.
