Amazon made a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok's American unit because the popular video-sharing app could be banned in the United States if parent company ByteDance does not agree to sell it, The New York Times reported.
The e-commerce giant's surprise move adds fresh intrigue to the ongoing talks in Washington, where the future of TikTok, used by 170 million Americans, has become one of the most contentious topics in the national security debate. The proposal was reportedly sent in a letter addressed to Vice President J.D. Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Despite Amazon's size and influence, negotiators say the offer is not currently being considered a serious option. One source close to the talks said the offer "is not being considered a realistic one" given the complexity of the situation and Amazon's late submission.
The Supreme Court previously upheld a law passed last year that required TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to shut down its operations in the U.S. on national security grounds. Although the law was supposed to take effect in January, President Donald Trump, who has become a staunch TikTok supporter, delayed its implementation until this Saturday and has already promised that the deal will be completed by then.
The White House is expected to continue discussing the issue at a meeting on Wednesday. Officials are considering a potential workaround involving U.S. investors including Oracle and Blackstone to take a stake in TikTok while avoiding a full takeover, according to people familiar with the matter. However, it is unclear whether that would meet the legal requirements of asset sales law.
Amazon's interest in TikTok is likely due to the app's growing influence in e-commerce. TikTok Shop, the platform's own retail feature, has become a thriving channel for influencer-driven sales, though many creators still use affiliate links to direct purchases to Amazon in exchange for commissions.
While TikTok has boosted Amazon’s sales, the Seattle-based tech giant has also tried to compete. Its own TikTok-inspired feature, called Inspire, was built into the Amazon app but failed to catch on and was quietly removed earlier this year.
Amazon isn’t the first major American company to want to buy TikTok. Microsoft and Walmart made a joint bid in 2020, when the app was under similar political pressure to sell. More recently, other interested parties included billionaire Frank McCourt and Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley.
TikTok publicly claims it is not being sold. ByteDance said Chinese government regulations would likely block any forced sale related to TikTok's algorithms or core technologies, making it difficult to comply with U.S. law.