With the April 5 deadline fast approaching, potential buyers for TikTok continue to emerge, intensifying the race to acquire the popular short-video platform, and among the latest contenders are tech giant Amazon and a consortium led by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely.
The U.S. government has mandated that TikTok must secure a non-Chinese buyer or risk being banned nationwide. Officials have raised concerns over the app’s ties to China, which its parent company, ByteDance, has consistently denied. Former President Donald Trump’s administration is set to meet Wednesday to discuss TikTok’s future.
Stokely’s startup, Zoop, has reportedly partnered with a cryptocurrency foundation to submit a late-stage bid. Meanwhile, Amazon has officially expressed interest, sending a letter to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, though it has declined to comment publicly. TikTok and ByteDance have yet to respond to requests for comment. Following reports of Amazon’s involvement, its stock price rose by approximately 2%.