TIKTOK’S Chinese parent company has just over two months to find a buyer for the app’s US business or face a nationwide ban, after getting a time extension from President Donald Trump.  There is already competition to own it.

NEW YORK – ByteDance is exploring a deal to keep TikTok running in the US without selling its operations there, according to board member Bill Ford.

The controversy stems from legislation passed in 2024 that required TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to a U.S.-based entity or face a ban. After former President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law, the Supreme Court upheld the ban, with a compliance deadline of Jan. 19, 2025.

As TikTok faces a potential ban, various bidders, including Elon Musk and Larry Ellison, are key contenders to buy the platform. Meanwhile, Netflix remains a possible option among streaming giants, though the company has not historically pursued major acquisitions.

TikTok’s parent company ByteDance Ltd. has set aside 150 billion yuan ($20.64 billion) for its capital expenditure this year, and the bulk of that money will be spent on boosting its artificial intelligence capabilities, Reuters reported today.

It’s a good bet that President Donald Trump cares a lot more about TikTok than Chinese President Xi Jinping does. That suggests the Chinese leader will have some bargaining leverage over Trump in whatever discussions the two have about the fate of the ByteDance-owned app.

In exploring what they stand to lose if ByteDance doesn’t secure an American buyer for TikTok, brands and influencers share how they've successfully used the platform.

There were 36 hours of mad frenzy as TikTok executives and lawyers sought and failed to get a last-minute reprieve from Biden — and then landed one from Trump.

TikTok is no longer available in the App Store as of Thursday, however there’s still a way to get back on the platform – for a price.

With no way for users to download TikTok, thousands of eBay sellers have listed phones with the app installed — hoping to capitalize on TikTok’s disappearance from US app stores following a brief ban.

According to Similarweb, active users on RedNote dropped by over 50% on Jan. 20, shortly after TikTok revived the app in the US. Trump has given TikTok 75 days to make a deal.

General Atlantic CEO and ByteDance board member Bill Ford said Wednesday that he believes TikTok soon will reach a deal to remain in the U.S.  “It’s in everybody’s interest,” Ford said