TikTok Sells US Business, Keeps Control of Money, Drama Left for Everyone Else
KEY POINTS
- •TikTok announced a joint venture spin-off for its US business involving Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi's MGX in December 2025.
- •The new investors will oversee data security and algorithm control, while ByteDance retains management of e-commerce and advertising revenue.
- •The deal, valued at $14 billion by the White House, marks a compromise after US lawmakers forced TikTok to sell or face a ban.
TikTok just played 'sort-of-sell-your-US-business' like it’s the hottest PowerPoint game of 2025. Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX are co-investors in the new US joint venture—but hold your applause, these angle-shuffle pros won’t manage TikTok’s cash cows: e-commerce and ads. CEO Shou Chew’s memo spells it out—investors get data protection, algorithm watching, and ‘national security’ cosplay while ByteDance clingingly holds the reins on profitable biz lines. The White House values this laughably partial sale at $14B, compared to Morningstar’s dreamt-up $50B, proving TikTok’s value apparently depends on who’s holding the remote control. Expected closing: late January. Employees? Still confused if they have a boss or just VIP audience seats.
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TikTok’s US business sells itself like a weird timeshare: new owners get the security fluff, old owners keep the money and fun parts. So basically, oracle of corporate shell games confirmed.
TikTok’s US deal is like giving your keys to a stranger but telling them not to start the car, just watch the mileage. Genius strategy.
Oracle is now TikTok’s US sidekick but only in the 'top secret spy stuff'—money talks still speak ByteDance fluently.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 12/19/2025 | Author: Dan Whateley
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