Is Tiktok Considering Selling Its U.s. Business To Elon Musk? Here's What Tiktok Says.

Recent reports asseverate that Chinese officials could beryllium considering trading TikTok's U.S. conception to Elon Musk to avert a imaginable prohibition — but TikTok is speaking retired against nan claims arsenic "pure fiction."

According to reports published Monday and Tuesday by Bloomberg and nan Wall Street Journal respectively, Chinese officials personification internally spoken astir nan anticipation of trading TikTok's U.S. operations to Musk aliases a trusted non-Chinese entrepreneur.

Musk's X societal media level could get TikTok successful nan U.S. and jointly tally nan 2 societal media sites, per Bloomberg's anonymous sources. Musk's xAI startup could too usage TikTok accusation to thief create AI models.

Related: 'Sent Ripples Through nan Marketing World': What Businesses Can Do Now to Prepare for a Possible TikTok Ban, According to a CEO

Musk has often made trips to China. He's CEO of Tesla, which makes half its cars successful China.

In April, Musk wrote successful a position connected X that "TikTok should not beryllium banned successful nan USA, moreover though specified a prohibition whitethorn usage nan X platform." He stated that blocking TikTok "would beryllium contrary to authorities of reside and expression" and "it is not what America stands for."

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 19, 2024

TikTok refuted talk of a imaginable acquisition by Musk. A TikTok spokesperson told nan Wall Street Journal connected Tuesday: "We cannot beryllium expected to remark connected axenic fiction."

However, TikTok could personification been kept successful nan acheronian astir these discussions. According to Bloomberg, nan deliberations among Chinese officials are still preliminary and whitethorn not personification progressive ByteDance aliases TikTok astatine this stage.

Related: 'More Than Marketing Tools': Some Business Owners Are Worried About nan Possible TikTok Ban

A discarded to Musk would fto TikTok to debar a U.S. prohibition that is scheduled to return spot connected Sunday. The prohibition was brought astir by authorities passed successful April that forced TikTok's genitor institution ByteDance to discarded nan societal media app by Jan. 19 aliases look a nonaccomplishment of operations successful nan U.S.

ByteDance has said that it prefers a shutdown of nan app to an acquisition. Over nan past 9 months, TikTok's suit has made its measurement done nan U.S. ineligible system, culminating successful oral arguments heard by nan U.S. Supreme Court connected Jan. 10 successful which TikTok asked nan Supreme Court to region nan prohibition complete free reside concerns.

The Court has not yet issued a ruling aliases announced erstwhile it tin beryllium expected to make one.

TikTok has 170 cardinal U.S. users and says that a prohibition would costs creators and mini businesses $1.3 cardinal successful nan first play alone.

Related: Is Kevin O'Leary Buying TikTok? 'Shark Tank' Star Teams Up With Frank McCourt for 'People's' Bid