According to Bloomberg, Chinese authorities are considering selling TikTok’s US operations to billionaire Elon Musk.
This potential deal, in which Musk could acquire the social media platform, is reportedly appealing to the Chinese government. However, there is one key condition: the ban on viewing short videos in China must remain in place. Experts believe TikTok could help Musk's social network, X, attract more advertisers. In addition, the purchase of TikTok could benefit the billionaire's company, xAI, which focuses on artificial intelligence development. Musk could leverage the vast data generated by TikTok to boost his AI endeavors.
"In my opinion, TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform. Doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression. It is not what America stands for," the entrepreneur previously wrote.
In 2024, Bloomberg Intelligence valued TikTok’s US business at $40–$50 billion. This is a substantial amount, even for Elon Musk. To complete such a deal, the businessman would have to sell other assets and secure approval from the US government.
According to reliable sources, Chinese authorities currently prefer to maintain control over TikTok's US operations rather than sell the platform. Earlier, President-elect Donald Trump promised to "save TikTok" and make it available to American users.
