• Amazon has submitted a last-minute bid to U.S. officials to acquire TikTok, joining a growing list of potential buyers.
  • A consortium led by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely, in partnership with a cryptocurrency foundation, has also placed a bid for the platform.

With the April 5 deadline fast approaching, more bidders have entered the race to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations. The latest contenders include Amazon and a group led by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely.

The video-sharing platform, currently owned by China-based ByteDance, faces a potential ban in the U.S. if it fails to secure a non-Chinese buyer.

Amazon has reportedly submitted a last-minute bid to U.S. officials, expressing interest in purchasing TikTok. The tech giant, which has long sought to expand its presence in social media, previously acquired live-streaming platform Twitch and book review site Goodreads. It also experimented with a short-form video feed called Inspire, which was discontinued earlier this year.

Despite its bid, reports suggest that various parties involved in the talks do not consider Amazon a serious contender in the negotiations. Neither Amazon nor ByteDance has publicly commented on the matter.

Tim Stokely, the founder of OnlyFans, has also entered the competition. His new startup, Zoop, has partnered with a cryptocurrency foundation to propose a bid for TikTok’s U.S. business.

Meanwhile, private equity firm Blackstone is discussing a potential investment alongside ByteDance’s non-Chinese shareholders, including Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic. Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is also considering funding a bid led by Oracle and other American investors.

The U.S. government has maintained that ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok poses a national security risk. Washington officials argue that China could leverage the app to conduct influence operations or collect data on American users.

The White House-led talks involve plans to create a separate U.S. entity for TikTok, reducing Chinese ownership below 20%, in compliance with American law.

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah