What's next for TikTok in the US as deal prospects remain uncertain?

56 minutes ago Share Save Lily Jamali North America Technology correspondent Share Save

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A billionaire investor keen on buying TikTok's US operations has told the BBC he has been left in limbo as the latest deadline for the app's sale looms. The US has repeatedly delayed the date by which the platform's Chinese owner, ByteDance, must sell or be blocked for American users. US President Donald Trump initially gave himself until December 16 to comply with the law before moving the deadline to 23 January 2026 with a new executive order. "We're just standing by and waiting to see what happens," investor Frank McCourt told BBC News.

"But if the moment arrives, we're prepared to move forward... we've raised the capital to buy it - we'll see." The popular short-form video app was due to be banned or sold in the US in January in accordance with a law passed by Congress in 2024. Lawmakers said at the time ByteDance's links to the Chinese government threatened national security, and expressed fears Beijing could force the company to hand over data on US users. It's a concern TikTok and its owners have always said is unfounded. The law was signed by President Joe Biden while he was still in office and was upheld by the Supreme Court in early 2025.

Deal done?