ByteDance Ltd.

Stories

TikTok's American rebirth

Retains 19.9% non-controlling stake

For five years, the world's most popular social media app lived under a death sentence. TikTok, used by 170 million Americans, faced repeated ban threats from two administrations convinced its Chinese ownership posed an unacceptable national security risk. On January 23, 2026, that uncertainty ended: TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC became operational, transferring 80.1% ownership to American and allied investors while ByteDance retained a non-controlling 19.9% stake.

Updated May 22

TikTok’s U.S. ‘sell-or-ban’ law hits another deadline—but the real clock is now January 2026

Rule Changes

Retains 19.9% ownership in TikTok U.S. entity; loses data access and algorithm control over American operations

The deal closed on January 22, 2026. TikTok's U.S. operations now belong to TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC—a new entity where Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi's MGX each hold 15%, existing ByteDance investor affiliates hold 30.1%, and ByteDance itself retains exactly 19.9%.

Updated May 15