Amazon Bids for TikTok: AppLovin and Tech Giants Race Before Deadline

Things are heating up in the race to buy TikTok! The deadline is fast approaching, and some big names are jumping into the mix.

Remember that law passed last month? The one about protecting Americans from apps controlled by foreign adversaries? Well, it gave TikTok a deadline: separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban in the U. S.

Who wants a piece of the TikTok pie?

Amazon Throws Its Hat in the Ring

Yes, that Amazon. They reportedly sent an offer to buy all of TikTok. Imagine TikTok with Prime shipping!

But here’s the thing: word is the Trump administration isn’t taking the Amazon bid too seriously. Ouch.

AppLovin Joins the Fray

AppLovin, a company that helps app developers, is also making a play for TikTok. They even talked to Steve Wynn about funding. Talk about high rollers!

Their angle? Buying TikTok would create jobs and solve national security concerns. Smart move.

Oracle, Blackstone, and a Possible Deal with China?

Wait, there’s more! Word on the street is that Oracle (the cloud computing giant) might team up with Blackstone (an asset manager) and other investors to make a joint bid.

But here’s the kicker: Beijing officials would have to approve this deal. And they seem open to it. Interesting, right?

Trump’s Take: A Little Give and Take

Trump even hinted that he might consider reducing tariffs to get a TikTok deal done. Now that’s a surprise.

Who Else Wants TikTok?

Amazon and AppLovin aren’t the only ones. Remember Frank McCourt (ex-L. A. Dodgers owner)? He teamed up with Kevin O’Leary (from Shark Tank) and Alexis Ohanian (Reddit co-founder) to make a $20 billion bid back in January.

An AI startup called Perplexity also threw their hat in the ring with a $50 billion merger offer. Ambitious!

TikTok’s Near-Death Experience

Remember when TikTok went dark for U. S. users in January? It was a close call.

But then Trump stepped in, extending the deadline and giving TikTok more time to find a buyer. Saved by the bell!

Trump’s Vision: 50% U. S. Ownership

Trump wants the U. S. to own half of TikTok. His reasoning? “We save TikTok, keep it in good hands, and allow it to stay up. ”

He added that without U. S. approval, TikTok is nothing. But with it? It could be worth trillions. Big stakes, indeed.