With the deadline for TikTok to secure a buyer fast approaching some massive companies like Amazon and OnlyFans made a bid to buy the platform.
Amazon and a consortium led by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely are the latest to express interest in acquiring TikTok ahead of the April 5 deadline. Without a deal, the popular short-video app faces a potential ban in the United States.
U.S. officials have raised national security concerns about TikTok’s ties to China, though both the company and its parent, ByteDance, have denied any risk. Trump administration officials are set to meet on Wednesday to discuss potential options for the sale.
Stokely’s startup, Zoop, has partnered with a cryptocurrency foundation to submit a late-stage bid for TikTok, according to statements given to Reuters on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Amazon reportedly sent a letter to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding its interest, though the company has declined to comment publicly.
Neither TikTok nor ByteDance has responded to requests for comment. Following reports of Amazon’s bid, the company’s stock rose by approximately 2%.
Amazon has long sought to expand its presence in the social media space, hoping to attract a younger audience while driving sales.
The company previously acquired the live-streaming platform Twitch in 2014 and book review site Goodreads in 2013. It also experimented with a TikTok-style short-form video platform called Inspire, which was discontinued earlier this year.
Former President Trump has indicated that his administration is in talks with four different groups about acquiring TikTok but has not disclosed their identities.
In addition to Amazon and Zoop, private equity firm Blackstone is reportedly discussing a plan to join ByteDance’s non-Chinese shareholders—led by Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic—in a bid for TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Separately, venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is in talks to contribute outside funding to a bid led by Oracle and other U.S. investors, with the goal of reducing Chinese ownership in the new entity to below the 20% threshold required by U.S. law.
The White House-led negotiations focus on restructuring TikTok as a U.S.-based company while ensuring that Chinese investors no longer hold a controlling stake.
The New York Times was the first to report Amazon’s potential involvement, though sources suggest that some parties involved in the discussions are skeptical about the seriousness of its bid.
TikTok’s future in the U.S. has remained uncertain since a 2024 law, passed with bipartisan support, mandated that ByteDance divest the platform by January 19.
Washington officials argue that ByteDance’s ownership makes TikTok susceptible to influence from the Chinese government, raising concerns about potential propaganda efforts and data collection on American users.