Blackstone has exited a U.S. investor consortium seeking to acquire TikTok’s American operations, according to Reuters. The deal would have left 80% of TikTok’s U.S. business in the hands of U.S. investors, with ByteDance retaining a minority stake. The group is led by Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic, and includes KKR, Andreessen Horowitz, and possibly Oracle. ByteDance faced a divestment deadline in January under U.S. law, but Trump extended it to September 17th. TikTok has begun developing a U.S.-specific version of the app, but deal talks stalled after China objected to the sale amid new U.S. tariffs. Blackstone’s withdrawal underscores the growing uncertainty as TikTok’s future becomes entangled in broader U.S.-China trade tensions.
