In a stunning turn of events, OnlyFans creator Tim Stokely has made a last-ditch offer to buy TikTok’s US business from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Stokely, along with his social media startup Zoop and blockchain company The Hbar Foundation, aims to acquire the popular video-sharing app before the impending April 5 deadline.
A Creator-First Approach to Social Media
OnlyFans Founder Enters TikTok Bidding War—Will It Change Everything?
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Zoop, which was founded by Stokely and influencer marketing strategist RJ Phillips, is framing this bid as a “David vs. Goliath” opportunity. In a statement provided to WIRED, the collective is looking to upend social media by putting creators first with more equitable revenue-sharing models. The move could disrupt the sector, toppling entrenched tech titans such as Meta and Google.
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Why ByteDance Needs to Sell Quickly
The reason for the urgency in the deal is a new American law that requires TikTok to be sold to an American company on the grounds of national security. If ByteDance fails to seal a deal by April 5, the app might be banned nationwide.
With this, many companies wage a bidding war with several buyers, with Zoop entering as an unexpected bidder.
White House Takes Control of the Sale
Unlike a typical business transaction, this deal is being orchestrated by the White House rather than ByteDance itself. RJ Phillips revealed that their legal team directly engaged with government officials to initiate negotiations.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump was set to review multiple offers in a private Oval Office meeting alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Variety reports.
Other Tech Giants Enter the TikTok Bidding War
Zoop is not the only firm interested in TikTok. Amazon also tabled a surprise last-minute bid, although reports indicate it is not being considered seriously. Other possible suitors are a group of US investors led by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and private equity behemoth Blackstone.
Even Perplexity AI and YouTube content creator MrBeast expressed their desire to buy TikTok, per Tech Times’ report earlier this year.
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