MrBeast claims 'so many billionaires reach out' after considering buying TikTok before US ban

As TikTok prepares to halt its operations in the US on Sunday, YouTube personality Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson suggested he might purchase the platform’s app for American users. The influencer disclosed that several wealthy individuals have contacted him to explore the possibility of making the purchase happen as the video-sharing app faces a looming ban in the US unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests by January 19, 2025.

"Okay fine, I'll buy TikTok so it doesn't get banned," MrBeast wrote on X on Tuesday after TikTok denied claims that China might sell the app’s US operations to Elon Musk.

It remains uncertain if the YouTuber is serious about his intentions, as acquiring TikTok would likely exceed his financial capacity. However, he later posted, "Unironically I've had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this, let's see if we can pull this off."

At the same time, TikTok is reportedly planning to disable its app for US users on Sunday when a federal ban could take effect unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block it.

If TikTok shuts down for all US users, the impact would differ from the legal requirements. The law stipulates banning only new downloads of TikTok from Apple or Google app stores, allowing existing users to continue accessing the app temporarily, according to Reuters.

However, TikTok’s reported strategy would involve users encountering a pop-up message when attempting to open the app, directing them to a website with details about the ban. The platform also plans to enable users to download their data, allowing them to retain a copy of their personal information.

So far, TikTok and ByteDance have not released any official comments on the situation.