Amazon is reportedly trying to buy TikTok

It's a last-second bid with the TikTok ban deadline looming
By
Tim Marcin
 on 
amazon logo on white background
Credit: David McNew/Getty Images

TikTok could soon be a part of Amazon.

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that Amazon had bid to purchase TikTok before the potential ban deadline on April 5. The Times noted, however, that the offer might not be the most likely to go through.

The paper reported:

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"Various parties who have been involved in the talks do not appear to be taking Amazon’s bid seriously, the people said. The bid came via an offer letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, according to a person briefed on the matter."

TikTok has until April 5 to find a U.S. buyer, a date set by President Donald Trump after giving the China-owned app an extension upon taking office. A host of rumored suitors have been named, including Oracle, Microsoft, Project Liberty, and several more billionaires.

Breaking News: Amazon made a last-minute bid to acquire all of TikTok as the app approaches an April deadline to be sold by its Chinese owner or face a ban in the U.S., people familiar with the offer said.

[image or embed]

— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) April 2, 2025 at 12:18 PM

This story is developing and will be updated with more information.

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Tim Marcin
Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).


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