TikTok’s owner ByteDance has signed agreements that would shift the app’s U.S. operations into a U.S.-focused structure backed by American (and other global) investors, aiming to keep the service available in the United States. The deal is scheduled to close on January 22, 2026—about a month from now—after years of U.S. pressure tied to national security concerns and a Supreme Court decision upholding a ban framework unless a sale occurred. For users and creators, the immediate takeaway is continuity: the agreements are designed so the app can keep operating in the U.S. while ownership and governance shift toward U.S.-linked investors.

Highlights:

• Ownership split: A memo described a joint venture in which ByteDance would retain a 19.9% stake, while Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based MGX would each hold 15%, and affiliates of existing ByteDance investors would hold 30.1%.
• Creators’ relief: The Los Angeles Times reported many TikTok creators welcomed the agreement because they had been preparing for the possibility the app could disappear in the U.S..
• Policy backdrop: Slashdot, citing the BBC, framed the agreement as aligned with a September move in which President Trump delayed enforcement of a law that would ban TikTok unless it was sold.
• Scale in US: TikTok told employees the arrangement would allow “over 170 million Americans” to keep using the platform, according to the memo cited by Slashdot.
• Closing date: TechSpot reported the agreement is slated to close on January 22 (with the broader reporting indicating January 2026 as the target close).

Over 170 million Americans to continue discovering a world of endless possibilities as part of a vital global community. - Shou Zi Chew

Perspectives:

• TikTok management: In a staff memo, CEO Shou Zi Chew portrayed the transaction as a way to keep TikTok available in the U.S. while preserving its role as a global community for Americans. (Slashdot)
• US policymakers and courts: U.S. action has focused on national security risk; the Los Angeles Times notes the Supreme Court upheld a ban framework that threatened the app’s U.S. availability. (Los Angeles Times)
• Creators and small businesses: Creators expressed relief and optimism about continuity, after months of uncertainty about whether the platform would remain accessible to U.S. audiences. (Los Angeles Times)
• Users and advertisers: CNET framed the agreements as steps meant to keep TikTok operating in the U.S., which would reduce near-term disruption for everyday users and the creators who rely on them. (CNET)

Sources:

• TikTok has finally agreed to a US sale - techspot.com
• TikTok Signs Agreements With US Investors. What's Next for Creators and Users? - cnet.com
• TikTok creators welcome deal to keep app in the U.S. - latimes.com
• TikTok Owner Signs Deal To Avoid US Ban - slashdot.org