US TikTok investors left uncertain as the deal faces another delay :
A billionaire investor interested in acquiring TikTok’s US business says he remains in a state of uncertainty as another deadline for the app’s sale approaches.
Frank McCourt told the BBC that investors are waiting to see whether the US government will once again postpone the requirement for TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its American operations or face a nationwide ban.
The deadline has already been extended multiple times, and US President Donald Trump is expected to approve a fifth delay on Tuesday.
“We’re essentially on standby,” McCourt said. “If the opportunity presents itself, we’re ready to proceed. The funding is in place — now it’s a matter of what happens next.”
Under legislation passed by Congress in 2024, TikTok was supposed to be sold or blocked in the US by January. Lawmakers argued that ByteDance’s alleged ties to the Chinese government posed a national security risk, raising concerns that user data could be accessed by Beijing. TikTok and its parent company have consistently denied these claims.
The law was signed by then-President Joe Biden and later upheld by the Supreme Court in early 2025.
Is a deal in sight?
President Trump and members of his administration have previously suggested that a deal had been reached, claiming it had the approval of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump also said the app would be acquired by “sophisticated” US investors, naming Oracle chairman Larry Ellison and Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell among those involved.
Administration officials had indicated the agreement would be finalised during a meeting between Trump and Xi in October, but the talks concluded without an announcement. Since then, neither ByteDance nor Chinese authorities have confirmed approval for a sale, despite the president’s earlier assertions.
With no new signals that a deal is imminent, analysts widely expect another extension to the deadline.
Speaking to the BBC, McCourt expressed concern over the growing concentration of power among major technology platforms, noting TikTok’s significant influence. He is part of an investor group that includes Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Canadian entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary.
McCourt said he hopes the outcome ensures the platform either complies fully with US law or changes ownership accordingly.
He also stated that his Project Liberty initiative aims to operate TikTok without any Chinese-developed technology, including its recommendation algorithm, and that alternative systems have already been developed to replace it.
