Amazon Wants TikTok as U.S. Sale Looms

Amazon has made a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok just days before the April 5 deadline for the app to secure a non-Chinese buyer or face a U.S. ban. A U.S. administration official confirmed the offer, adding Amazon to a growing list of potential buyers, including Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz. However, insiders reportedly do not view Amazon’s bid as serious, as it came via a letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard W. Lutnick.

The Biden administration is currently reviewing final proposals, with President Trump expected to discuss TikTok’s fate in an Oval Office meeting today. Under the 2024 divestment law, ByteDance must reduce Chinese ownership in TikTok’s U.S. operations to below 20% to comply with national security concerns. U.S. lawmakers fear that TikTok’s current ownership structure allows the Chinese government access to American user data and potential influence operations.

Amazon’s entry into the bidding process raises questions about its ambitions in the social media space. The e-commerce giant previously experimented with short-form video through its now-discontinued Inspire feature, and acquiring TikTok could give it a powerful foothold in digital advertising and content-driven shopping. However, it remains unclear whether Amazon’s bid will be taken seriously or if a different group will finalize a deal before the deadline.