ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has reportedly agreed to sell a majority stake in its US operations to a consortium comprising Oracle, investment firm Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX. According to an internal memo from ByteDance CEO Shou Chew obtained by Axios, the deal is expected to close on January 22, 2026.
Under the agreement, the consortium will own 45% of the new TikTok US joint venture, while ByteDance will retain a 20% share. Oracle will serve as the “trusted security partner,” responsible for safeguarding sensitive US user data, which will be stored in a secure cloud environment within the United States managed by Oracle.
This move follows US national security concerns that led to legislation banning TikTok in the country. However, the deal still requires approval from Chinese regulators, and it remains unclear how much influence ByteDance will retain over the new US entity.
The memo also revealed plans to retrain TikTok’s algorithm using US user data to ensure the content feed is free from external manipulation. Details about the revenue-sharing arrangement between ByteDance and the new US joint venture, particularly regarding e-commerce and advertising, have not yet been disclosed.
This development marks a progressive step in resolving ongoing regulatory and security issues surrounding TikTok’s operations in the United States.
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