MrBeast and the CEO of Roblox Are Trying to Buy TikTok for Over $20 Billion

MrBeast, the popular YouTuber, is reportedly part of a consortium attempting a $20 billion+ bid for TikTok. This group, including Jesse Tinsley (Employer.com founder), Roblox CEO David Baszucki, and Nathan McCauley (Anchorage Digital), estimates the acquisition could cost $25 billion.

While TikTok's owner, ByteDance, has declared its U.S. operations are not for sale, and the Tinsley-led group hasn't received a direct response, MrBeast's representatives confirm he's engaged in discussions with multiple parties. He aims to join the leading bidder, potentially shifting allegiances depending on the unfolding situation. MrBeast tweeted on January 22nd, expressing his excitement about the potential partnership and hinting at significant developments.

Earlier this week, President Trump mentioned Microsoft's involvement in potential TikTok acquisition talks, anticipating a bidding war. Microsoft hasn't verified this claim.

TikTok experienced a temporary outage for its 170 million U.S. users just before a January 19th deadline requiring ByteDance to sell or face a ban due to national security concerns. The app went offline after the Supreme Court denied an appeal based on TikTok's First Amendment arguments. The court acknowledged standard data practices but cited TikTok's scale, vulnerability to foreign influence, and the sensitive data it handles as justification for the government's security concerns.

Service resumed following assurances from President Trump that penalties would be avoided. TikTok stated this was a victory for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship, pledging to collaborate with President Trump on a long-term solution to maintain its U.S. presence.

Following his inauguration on January 20th, President Trump issued an executive order delaying enforcement of the law by 75 days. He's actively discussing a potential sale with various entities and individuals, including Elon Musk.