TikTok announced Thursday the successful finalization of an ownership restructuring establishing a majority American-owned entity, with a White House official confirming that both US and Chinese governments have approved the arrangement. The deal allows the platform to sidestep a federal ban while satisfying national security requirements.
The completed transaction reduces ByteDance’s ownership to a 19.9% minority stake, while American investors collectively control 80.1% of the new US-based company. The American ownership group features three primary stakeholders with equal shares: Oracle at 15%, Silver Lake at 15%, and MGX at 15%. The investment firm associated with Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, also contributes to the ownership structure.
This settlement stems from bipartisan legislation passed in 2024 that required TikTok to divest from Chinese ownership or face removal from American digital platforms. The law reflected congressional concern about national security vulnerabilities, including potential data harvesting and content manipulation by foreign actors. The Supreme Court upheld the legislation in January 2025, validating congressional authority to impose the divestment requirement.
Adam Presser will assume the role of CEO for the American TikTok entity, leveraging his extensive experience from previous leadership positions within the company, including general manager and global head of operations and trust and safety. The organization will operate under the supervision of a seven-member board of directors, intentionally structured with an American majority and populated by experts in cybersecurity and national security. Shou Chew, TikTok’s current global CEO, will serve on the board.
The restructured company has outlined specific protective measures for American operations, including comprehensive data protection protocols, secured algorithm architecture, enhanced content moderation systems, and software integrity verification processes. The platform’s recommendation algorithm will undergo complete retraining based solely on US user data, with continuous testing and refinement to ensure independent operation. President Trump celebrated the agreement on social media, expressing thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping for approving the deal. A White House official confirmed that both governments had signed off on the arrangement, bringing official closure to years of regulatory uncertainty.
TikTok Completes Ownership Transfer with White House Confirmation of Deal Terms
