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WASHINGTON, January 23, 2026 – TikTok is one step closer to avoiding a U.S. ban after bytedance created a new entity, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, designed to allow the sale of a majority stake in its American operations to investors outside of China. But before you celebrate (or mourn, depending on your stance), remember this isn’t a done deal – not by a long shot.
A Complex Path to Potential U.S. Ownership
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The move follows years of scrutiny and a bipartisan push to address national security concerns surrounding the popular video-sharing app.
- tiktok’s parent company, ByteDance, has established TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC to facilitate a potential sale.
- Oracle, UAE investment firm MGX, and Silver Lake are major investors, poised to control over 80% of the new entity,
- The deal is a response to a 2024 law requiring TikTok to be sold to U.S. interests or face a ban.
- Past attempts to finalize a sale have been plagued by delays and reversals.
- Concerns remain about potential government influence over TikTok’s algorithm.
The new joint venture will be majority-owned by U.S. investors, including Oracle, the UAE investment firm MGX, and the investment firm Silver Lake, who collectively will own more than 80% of the company, the New York Times reported. Michael Dell is also reportedly involved.
What does this mean for your “For You” page? The potential for government influence over TikTok’s algorithm is raising eyebrows.Some fear that the Trump administration, or future administrations, might attempt to steer the platform’s content to align with specific political agendas.
Did you know? Congress passed a bipartisan law in 2024, signed by President Joe Biden, mandating that TikTok either be sold to U.S. interests or face a ban in the United States due to national security concerns.
A Timeline of Delays and Reversals
The path to a potential sale has been anything but straightforward. The initial deadline for a sale or ban was January 19, 2025. However, President Trump extended that deadline multiple times – first to April, then to June, then to September, and finally to January 22. Trump’s repeated extensions, despite lacking clear authority, became a hallmark of his approach to the TikTok issue.
Initially, Trump attempted to ban TikTok during his first term, but legal challenges stalled those efforts. In a surprising turn during his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump reversed course, stating he supported TikTok as of its popularity among young people and the potential for their support at the polls.
The Bloomberg and New York Times both reported on the new joint venture.
Deja Vu All Over Again?
Skepticism remains high. Numerous reports of “done deals” have surfaced since President Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. In October 2025, similar claims of an impending closure circulated, and a month prior, a “framework” for a deal was announced. TikTok itself downplayed the significance of the current announcement.
When asked about a finalized sale, a tiktok spokesperson told Gizmodo, “I saw your question and want to call out that ‘deal to sell’ isn’t accurate framing. Please see language used in the press release.” This cautious wording underscores the uncertainty surrounding the future of TikTok in the
