MrBeast, the popular YouTuber, is reportedly part of a consortium attempting a $20 billion+ bid to acquire TikTok. This investor group, which also includes Jesse Tinsley (Employer.com founder), Roblox co-founder and CEO David Baszucki, and Nathan McCauley (Anchorage Digital head), estimates the acquisition cost at $25 billion.
While TikTok's owner, ByteDance, has publicly stated its U.S. operations are not for sale, and the Tinsley-led group hasn't received a direct response, MrBeast's representatives confirm ongoing discussions with various parties. MrBeast's goal is to join the leading bidder, potentially shifting allegiances depending on the evolving situation. He tweeted on January 22nd, expressing excitement about the potential partnership and hinting at significant developments.
Earlier this week, President Trump mentioned Microsoft's involvement in potential TikTok acquisition talks and expressed hope for a bidding war. Microsoft hasn't yet verified this claim.
TikTok experienced a temporary shutdown for its 170 million U.S. users shortly before a January 19th deadline requiring ByteDance to sell or face a ban due to national security concerns. This outage followed the Supreme Court's rejection of TikTok's First Amendment appeal. The court acknowledged common data practices in the digital age but cited TikTok's scale, vulnerability to foreign influence, and the sensitive data it collects as justification for the government's national security concerns.
Service was restored after assurances from President Trump that penalties would be avoided. TikTok stated this was a victory for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship, pledging to collaborate with President Trump on a long-term solution to maintain its U.S. presence.
Following his inauguration on January 20th, President Trump issued an executive order delaying enforcement of the law by 75 days. He's currently engaged in discussions with various entities and individuals regarding a potential TikTok buyout, including Elon Musk.
