ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, is developing a backup plan as it faces a deadline to sell its US operations or risk a ban. The plan involves launching a new, independent version of the TikTok app for US users. This app is scheduled to launch on 5 September and will be available in US app stores. Current TikTok users in the US will need to download this new version eventually to continue using the service. The existing app will remain functional until March 2026, providing users with time to switch.
This backup plan comes as ByteDance deals with a new deadline of September 17 to find a buyer for TikTok’s US business. The deadline was extended after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order, giving ByteDance another 90 days to comply with a law that requires the sale of TikTok’s US operations or a ban in the market.
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Meanwhile, Trump has said he found a buyer for TikTok’s US business. He described the buyer as “a group of very wealthy people” but did not name them or share details about the deal’s cost. Trump plans to provide more information within two weeks. He also said the deal would likely need approval from China, mentioning President Xi Jinping specifically.
Reports suggest the potential buyers are a group of investors who talked with ByteDance before. This group includes Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm. Those earlier discussions failed when China’s government refused to approve the deal, especially after Trump placed tariffs on Chinese goods. The proposed deal would give these investors 50 percent of TikTok’s US business, lowering ByteDance’s ownership to under 20 percent. This setup meets the requirements of the US law pushing for a sale or ban. ByteDance’s current US investors would own about 30 percent of the company under this plan.
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For any deal to move forward—whether it is the sale or the new app launch—both US and Chinese authorities must agree. Tensions between the two countries could make this process harder.
Trump has said talks between the US and China about TikTok will start soon. These discussions will play a big role in deciding what happens to TikTok in the US.
