As the clock ticks on TikTok’s future in the United States, its parent company, ByteDance, is reportedly preparing for a contingency plan — which involves a standalone version of the popular app designed specifically for the American market.
According to other news outlets, the new and improved version of TikTok is slated to launch on American app stores by September 5 of this year, just days ahead of a looming government deadline that could see the platform banned unless ByteDance divests its U.S. operations. Sources have noted that existing TikTok users in the U.S. would eventually be required to switch to the new app to maintain access, although the current app is expected to remain functional until March 2026.
The latest development on TikTok’s ongoing saga with the U.S. government follows President Donald Trump’s latest 90-day extension, which pushed the deadline for a sale to September 17, 2025. During an interview on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Trump claimed that a buyer for TikTok has already been secured. Though he withheld specific names, he described the interested party as “a group of very wealthy people,” hinting that China’s approval would still be a necessary step to close the deal. “I think President Xi will probably do it,” Trump noted.
Bloomberg later reported that the investor group Trump alluded to includes heavy hitters like Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz, which are firms that had previously been in talks with ByteDance before negotiations stalled amid rising U.S.-China tensions and Beijing’s lack of sign-off. According to sources, the proposed deal would have handed a 50% stake in TikTok U.S. to outside investors while reducing ByteDance’s share to under 20%, aligning with the U.S. legal requirement for divestment. ByteDance’s American-based investors would have held roughly 30%.
Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One earlier on July 4 that negotiations between U.S. and Chinese officials are expected to begin Monday or Tuesday (July 7 or 8). “We pretty much have a deal,” he said, noting ongoing discussions with either President Xi or his representatives. Still, Trump admitted he wasn’t fully confident: “But I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship. I think the deal is good for China and it’s good for us.”
As pressure mounts from both regulators and the market, ByteDance’s next move — and even Washington’s response — could define the future of one of Gen Z’s most influential platforms in the U.S.