China is reportedly considering selling the TikTok app to American billionaire Elon Musk in order to avoid a potential ban in the United States, according to Bloomberg, citing informed sources.
Chinese officials are allegedly exploring the possibility of selling TikTok to Musk if its parent company, ByteDance, fails to prevent a ban on the app in the U.S. through an appeal to the Supreme Court.
The options regarding TikTok are part of a broader discussion in Beijing on how to engage with the new U.S. administration. Chinese officials expect serious negotiations with the Trump administration over tariffs, export controls, and other issues, and they are considering TikTok as one area where compromises could be made.
One of the scenarios being discussed, though still a potential option, involves transferring control of TikTok to Musk’s company X (formerly Twitter). TikTok, with over 170 million users in the U.S., could help X attract advertisers, and the company could use data analytics gathered through the app.
It is unclear whether Elon Musk himself or ByteDance is aware of these discussions or whether communication has begun regarding the sale. Both parties have declined to comment officially.
In April, Musk expressed his view that TikTok should remain available in the U.S., although he acknowledged that a ban could benefit X. He noted that such a move would be “against freedom of speech and expression, and that’s not what America stands for.”
From a practical standpoint, separating TikTok’s U.S. operations would be difficult, and this is one of the arguments presented by the company’s lawyers in court.
