TikTok's countdown to survival in the United States: Acquisition must be completed within 48 hours, otherwise it will face a complete ban!
With only two days left until the US government's deadline of April 5th for TikTok to divest its US operations, this acquisition battle that has stirred up the global tech industry is taking a dramatic turn.
According to multiple sources, a consortium led by American e-commerce giant Amazon and adult content platform OnlyFans founder Tim Stockley has submitted bidding proposals to American officials.
Giants enter the market: Amazon restarts social ambitions after two years
On April 2nd, Reuters cited anonymous officials as saying that Amazon has directly submitted a written offer to the US Department of Commerce, intending to fully acquire all equity of TikTok.
This action is seen by the outside world as Amazon's second sprint in the social field.
Previously, the company acquired the gaming live streaming platform Twitch in 2014 and launched the short video service Inspire in 2023, but it was terminated due to lukewarm user feedback.
Analysis suggests that if TikTok is successfully acquired, Amazon may integrate its traffic advantages and strengthen the live streaming e-commerce and young user ecosystem.
Emerging forces: Crypto capital partners with adult content platforms
At the same time, Zoop, a startup founded by OnlyFans founder Stockley, joined forces with a cryptocurrency foundation to submit a "late stage bidding plan" on Wednesday.
Although the specific terms have not been made public, insiders have revealed that the plan may involve technology divestment and equity restructuring to circumvent US government restrictions on Chinese capital.
It is worth noting that Zoop previously focused mainly on the adult content field, and its cross-border bidding motives have sparked market speculation.
Multi party game: political risks and commercial considerations intertwined
The fate of TikTok has been uncertain since the passage of the Foreign Companies Accountability Act in 2024.
The US government, citing "national security", requires ByteDance to be stripped before January 19, otherwise the application will be banned completely.
At present, TikTok has over 170 million monthly active users in the United States, and its huge traffic pool and algorithm advantages have attracted competition from private equity and technology giants such as Blackstone and Oracle.
But according to The New York Times, some negotiating parties are cautious about Amazon's offer, believing that it lacks experience in social media operations.
Time is running out: The White House will hold a crucial meeting
Trump administration officials will hold a closed door meeting on April 3 to evaluate the feasibility of various bidding options.
Previously, the White House had proposed the divestiture framework of "Chinese shareholders holding no more than 20% of shares", but ByteDance still had objections to this.
Industry insiders pointed out that the final agreement may involve complex operations such as multi-party capital injection and technology splitting, and the time left for all parties is less than 48 hours.
As Amazon's stock price rises by 2% due to bidding news, the suspense of TikTok's acquisition battle continues to heat up.
This game involving technological hegemony and commercial interests may come to a partial conclusion this weekend.
(Note: This article integrates multiple sources, and specific details are subject to official disclosure.)