Amazon has reportedly submitted a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok, the popular short-form video platform, as the deadline for its divestiture approaches. According to sources, Amazon’s offer was communicated through a letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
This development comes amid a looming April 5 deadline, by which TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is required to divest its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban due to national security concerns. The U.S. government has expressed apprehensions regarding TikTok’s Chinese ownership and potential data privacy issues.
Despite Amazon’s entry into the bidding process, reports indicate that officials are not viewing this offer as a serious contender at this stage. Other major tech firms, including Oracle and Microsoft, have also been in discussions to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets. Additionally, private equity firms such as Blackstone are exploring involvement, with some proposals suggesting a joint venture or the inclusion of new American investors instead of a full sale.
As the deadline nears, President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with top White House officials to deliberate on potential solutions for TikTok’s future in the United States. The outcome of these discussions will significantly impact the platform’s approximately 170 million American users and its operations within the country.
The situation remains fluid, with multiple stakeholders expressing interest in TikTok’s U.S. operations. The coming days are critical in determining the platform’s trajectory and its ability to continue serving its substantial user base in the United States – and the bids that come within the next two days could massively impact who ends up owning it. This is especially true given that since many platforms – from Linkedin and Substack to Pinterest and Instagram – are eagerly pushing to cater to TikTok’s audience in case the app suddenly ends up unavailable.
