Roblox CEO, MrBeast Eye TikTok Bid

MrBeast, the popular YouTuber, is reportedly part of a consortium attempting a $20 billion+ bid to acquire TikTok. This group, which includes Jesse Tinsley (Employer.com founder), Roblox co-founder and CEO David Baszucki, and Anchorage Digital's Nathan McCauley, estimates the purchase price at $25 billion.

Bloomberg reported on this ambitious bid, though ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, has publicly stated its U.S. operations are not for sale, and the Tinsley-led group hasn't yet received a direct response.

MrBeast's representatives clarified that he's engaged in discussions with multiple parties and aims to align with the eventual winning bidder, potentially shifting allegiances depending on the unfolding situation. In a January 22nd tweet, Donaldson expressed his excitement about the prospect, stating, “The leading groups who are all credible bidding on Tik Tok have reached out for us to help them, I’m excited to partner/make this a reality. Big things cooking.”

Earlier this week, former President Trump mentioned Microsoft's purported negotiations to acquire TikTok, expressing his hope for a bidding war. Microsoft hasn't confirmed this claim.

The events leading up to this bid included a temporary shutdown of TikTok for its 170 million U.S. users. This occurred just before a deadline requiring ByteDance to either sell TikTok or face a ban, following the Supreme Court's rejection of TikTok's First Amendment challenge. The court acknowledged common data practices in the digital age but cited TikTok's scale and vulnerability to foreign influence, along with its vast data collection, as justifying the government's national security concerns. Service was restored after assurances from President Trump that no penalties would be imposed.

TikTok subsequently stated, “It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

Following his departure from office, President Trump issued an executive order delaying enforcement of the law by 75 days. He engaged in discussions with various entities regarding a potential TikTok buyout, even suggesting Elon Musk as a possible buyer.