TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance inks deal to sell US operations to American investors, including Oracle

Core Points - ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese owner, signed binding agreements to sell just over 80% of its US assets to American and global investors to avoid a US government ban [1][5][8] - The deal is a significant step in resolving the uncertainty surrounding TikTok's future in the US since August 2020, when former President Trump attempted to ban the app [1][4][5] - The new joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, will be formed with three major investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX [4][6][8] Deal Structure - The deal aligns with a previous agreement announced in September, which delayed the enforcement of a law requiring the sale of TikTok's US operations [2][5] - Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX will collectively own 45% of the new entity, with each holding 15% [6][7] - The joint venture will consist of 50% ownership by the consortium of new investors, 30.1% by affiliates of existing ByteDance investors, and 19.9% retained by ByteDance [7]