Is this the last hope for TikTok in the US?

Under an executive order from President Donald Trump, ByteDance has until April 5, 2025, to sell TikTok to a U.S. company. However, ByteDance board member Bill Ford said the company is working to find a compromise to continue operating in the U.S. without divesting.

ByteDance is confident that TikTok still has a chance in the US.

Mr. Ford believes that talks between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could open the door to a new deal. He also did not rule out some form of 'change of control' of TikTok, rather than an outright sale to an American company.

However, ByteDance will face a major challenge from the law that has been passed, requiring the company to sell TikTok to a US party. It is not yet clear how ByteDance will comply with the law while retaining control of the app.

While waiting for a solution, TikTok is still operating normally in the US, despite being removed from app stores. Can ByteDance pull off a surprise and keep its "darling"?

Lesley Montoya

Update 10 February 2025