TikTok is currently owned by the Chinese internet company ByteDance. ByteDance remains the parent company and has not sold TikTok outright, but due to U.S. national security concerns, there have been ongoing discussions and potential bids to acquire TikTok's U.S. operations

. Several potential buyers and bids have emerged amid pressure for ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. business, including:

• Elon Musk, with talks about possibly acquiring TikTok's U.S. operations if a ban occurs

• Amazon submitted a last-minute bid to buy TikTok's U.S. operations just before an April 5 deadline in 2025

• A consortium called "The People’s Bid for TikTok," led by Frank McCourt and including investors like Kevin O’Leary and Alexis Ohanian, aiming to acquire TikTok with a focus on privacy and data control

• Another American investor consortium led by Jesse Tinsley, including YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) and Roblox co-founder David Baszucki, offered a $30 billion all-cash bid for TikTok’s U.S. operations

• Other names linked to potential acquisition include Steve Mnuchin and Bobby Kotick, though seriousness is unclear

As of now, no definitive sale has been completed. ByteDance remains the owner, but the U.S. government has mandated a divestment or ban by January 19, 2025, due to concerns over Chinese government influence and data privacy

. In summary, TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company, but its U.S. operations have been the subject of multiple bids and negotiations to transfer ownership to American entities to comply with U.S. regulations and avoid a ban