Microsoft is reportedly in talks to acquire TikTok, indicating a potential revival of interest in the popular short-form video app.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the talks, expressing enthusiasm for a competitive bidding process. "There's a great interest in TikTok," he stated, sparking discussion about the app's future ownership.
TikTok, which has around 170 million subscribers in the United States, has been under suspicion due to its ties with the Chinese parent company ByteDance.
Earlier this month, TikTok faced temporary outages due to a law mandating ByteDance to sell the app on national security grounds that were set to take effect. After taking charge on January 20, Trump issued an executive order halting the law's enforcement for 75 days, offering a window for negotiation.
This isn't the first time Microsoft has been linked to TikTok. After Trump's administration forced the separation of TikTok's U.S. operations from ByteDance, the giant appeared as a strong contender to acquire the app in 2020. However, these stocks ultimately fell, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later described the experience as the "strangest thing I've ever worked on."
The ongoing discussions show a renewed effort to resolve the app's ownership difficulties. In addition to Microsoft, other companies have also shown interest in TikTok. Perplexity AI, an AI startup, has proposed a merger with TikTok, offering the U.S. government as much as 50% of the new company. Meanwhile, although Musk hasn't officially commented, Trump has hinted that Tesla CEO Elon Musk could acquire TikTok.
Microsoft, TikTok, and ByteDance have not yet responded to requests for comment. The future remains uncertain until an official statement comes, with Trump indicating that a decision might be made within a relatively short 30 days, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
As TikTok's ownership hangs in the balance, the conclusion could have far-reaching consequences for the tech landscape, user privacy, and U.S.-China relations. Resolution to this dispute could finally clarify the application's worst user base and stakeholders.