The retail giant has struggled to make inroads into social and creator-led shopping with 46% of U.S. TikTok users now purchasing on the social platform, per Emarketer.
“The acquisition could strengthen Amazon’s position, particularly among younger shoppers who start and end their shopping journeys on TikTok or other social platforms,” Enberg said.
VC firm Andreessen Horowitz
Venture capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz, led by Silicon Valley exec and Trump supporter Marc Andreessen, is in talks to inject fresh capital into a bid that would carve TikTok out of its Chinese parent, ByteDance, per the Financial Times.
This isn’t an unusual play for Andreessen Horowitz, which has previously backed social media companies, including early investments in Facebook and Instagram. The firm also put $400 million into Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X).
Private equity firm Blackstone
Private equity giant Blackstone is evaluating a potential minority investment in TikTok, Reuters reported. The firm is in talks to join ByteDance’s existing non-Chinese shareholders—led by Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic—in contributing fresh capital for a bid on TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Oracle
Oracle is also among the companies looking to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations in a high-stakes race. Its involvement, per Bloomberg, would include providing security guarantees and taking a minority stake in a newly formed American entity.
However, the deal could still leave TikTok’s prized algorithm under Chinese ownership, a key sticking point in the ongoing negotiations.
