Fri, 19 Dec 2025

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 TikTok owner signs agreements to avoid US ban

The deals would end years of efforts by Washington to force ByteDance to sell its US operations.

* TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance has signed binding agreements with US and global investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX.
* The deal will result in a joint venture where half of the business will be owned by the new investors and 19.9% will remain under ByteDance control.
* Under the agreement, ByteDance will retain 19.9% ownership, while Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX will hold 15% each.
* The deal is set to close on January 22, ending years of efforts by Washington to force ByteDance to sell its US operations over national security concerns.
* As part of the deal, TikTok's recommendation algorithm will be licensed to Oracle, which has been co-founded by Trump supporter Larry Ellison.
* The deal comes after a series of delays and was pushed back multiple times by Trump's administration before being finalized under President Joe Biden.
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