Elon Musk Could Buy TikTok And These 5 Billionaires Are Fighting For It Too

Chinese officials are considering Elon Musk as a potential buyer for TikTok's U.S. operations as the app faces a January 19 ban deadline, according to reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal. Musk, who owns social media platform X and maintains strong business ties in China through Tesla, could emerge as a compromise candidate between the two nations. TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes called the reports "pure fiction."

The move would pair the world's richest man with incoming President Donald Trump, who opposes the ban and recently named Musk to lead his Department of Government Efficiency task force. While Musk's existing social media experience and Chinese relationships make him an appealing candidate, the estimated $40-50 billion price tag poses a significant hurdle.

Billionaire Frank McCourt and "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary have submitted a formal offer to buy TikTok's U.S. operations, calling it "The People's Bid for TikTok." Their proposal, valued at approximately $20 billion, notably excludes TikTok's algorithm and focuses on restructuring the platform to collect less user data. The group has secured backing from private equity funds and other high-net-worth individuals.

The formal bid could trigger a 90-day extension of the looming ban, potentially pushing the decision into President-elect Trump's term. McCourt, the former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, leads the initiative through his Project Liberty advocacy group, while O'Leary has stated they would remove any algorithm for spying and compensate users who opt to share their data with the platform. ByteDance has not publicly responded to the offer.

YouTube creator James "MrBeast" Donaldson, who boasts 343 million subscribers and generates $85 million in annual earnings according to Forbes, has emerged as an unexpected potential buyer for TikTok's U.S. operations. The conversation started after Donaldson posted on X,

"Okay fine, I'll buy TikTok so it doesn't get banned," though the seriousness of his intent remains unclear.

Following his initial post, Donaldson claimed multiple billionaires reached out expressing interest in backing his potential bid. The creator's involvement could represent a unique shift toward creator-led ownership of social media platforms, though no formal offer has been submitted.

As host of "Beast Games" and one of YouTube's highest-earning content creators, Donaldson's interest adds another dimension to the ongoing TikTok sale discussions ahead of the January 19 deadline.

Bobby Kotick, fresh from Activision Blizzard's sale to Microsoft in 2023, has expressed interest in acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations. The former gaming executive has already held discussions with ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming and explored potential financing options with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to sources familiar with the matter reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Kotick is maintaining a low profile while awaiting the Supreme Court's decision on TikTok's legal challenge to the ban. His recent windfall from the Microsoft-Activision deal positions him with large financial resources, though he would likely need additional backing for a purchase of this scale.

Doug McMillon, Walmart's CEO, has kept communication channels open with ByteDance following his company's previous attempt to acquire TikTok in 2020. That earlier effort, which included a partnership with Oracle, would have given ByteDance an 80% ownership stake, but the deal dissolved after ByteDance won an injunction against then-President Trump's planned ban.

McMillon's continued interest was evidenced by his meeting with ByteDance's founder in Bentonville, Arkansas in 2023, according to sources cited by The New York Post. As one of the world's largest retailers, Walmart's potential involvement could bridge social commerce and retail, though no formal bid has been announced ahead of the January 19 deadline. Neither Walmart nor ByteDance have commented on current discussions.

Microsoft, with its $3.1 trillion market cap, remains one of the few companies with sufficient resources to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations. The tech giant previously came close to buying the platform in 2021, an attempt CEO Satya Nadella later described as "the strangest thing I've ever worked on."

That deal fell through, but Microsoft’s previous involvement suggests a potential for renewed interest.

While Microsoft has the money to make it a serious competitor, regulators might closely examine any purchase plans due to concerns about too much power concentrated in the tech industry. However, the company's past negotiations during the Trump administration, which did not object to their previous bid, could work in their favor. Microsoft has not publicly commented on any current interest in TikTok.

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