According to Bloomberg News, initial discussions have occurred, but a TikTok representative dismisses the report as "pure fiction."
Chinese authorities are reportedly exploring the possibility of selling TikTok’s U.S. operations to billionaire Elon Musk if the app cannot evade a looming ban, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.
Sources indicate that Beijing would prefer TikTok to remain under the ownership of its parent company, ByteDance, reflecting their desire to maintain control over the platform.
The report suggests that TikTok’s U.S. division might be sold either through a competitive bidding process or via a government-mandated arrangement, implying that ByteDance may no longer have full autonomy over the app's future.
China holds a “golden share” in ByteDance, a stake that some members of Congress argue provides the Chinese government with significant influence over TikTok.
One possibility under consideration is that Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, could take over TikTok’s U.S. operations and manage the business jointly, according to the report. However, Bloomberg News noted that officials have not yet reached a consensus on the matter.
A TikTok spokesperson dismissed the report, stating, “We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction.”
It remains uncertain how much ByteDance knows about the discussions or the involvement of Musk and TikTok. There is no indication that ByteDance, TikTok, and Musk have engaged in any talks about a potential deal.
TikTok has previously asserted that the Chinese government’s stake “has no bearing on ByteDance’s global operations outside of China, including TikTok.”
Requests for comments from Elon Musk, X, and China’s Cyberspace Administration and Ministry of Commerce were not immediately answered.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court appeared inclined to uphold a law that could mandate a sale or ban TikTok in the United States by January 19 due to national security concerns linked to China
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