MrBeast, a famous YouTube star and the highest-paid creator on the internet, has officially joined the bid to acquire TikTok’s US operations.
Teaming up with technology entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley, the 26-year-old made an all-cash offer for the social video app’s American division. This move follows President Donald Trump’s statement that US tech billionaires Elon Musk and Larry Ellison were interested in buying TikTok.
Known as Jimmy Donaldson, MrBeast has shown interest in acquiring TikTok through various social media posts. On January 13th, he mentioned in a post, “I’ll buy TikTok to avoid getting banned.” In subsequent TikTok posts, Donaldson revealed discussions with “a bunch of billionaires” regarding the bid.
American law firm Paul Hastings announced the bid for Donaldson in a statement on Tuesday. The statement mentioned Mr. Tinsley leading an investor group consisting of “institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals,” with Mr. Donaldson being the only publicly disclosed member.
While the size of the all-cash bid was not disclosed, Trump valued it at $1 trillion. With 346 million YouTube followers, MrBeast was the world’s top internet creator in the previous year, earning $85 million according to Forbes.
Paul Hastings also noted that Brad Bondi, the lawyer leading the team advising on the bid, is the brother of President Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi.
President Trump mentioned potential agreements with Elon Musk and Larry Ellison, expressing openness to their bids to acquire TikTok. Ellison commented that it sounded like a “good deal.” Trump stated that TikTok would be allowed to operate in the US with 50% American ownership and a valuation of $1 trillion.
Despite TikTok returning online after temporary shutdown, its future in the US remains uncertain. The app faces a deadline of January 19 due to a requirement for the sale of its American division by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
President Trump issued an executive order halting enforcement of the sale requirement, providing assurances for TikTok’s operation. Some lawmakers question the legality of suspending the law, warning of potential consequences for businesses not complying.
TikTok, Google, and Apple have been approached for comments.
Source: www.theguardian.com
