Renowned YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as MrBeast, has reportedly joined forces with investors bidding over $20 billion to acquire TikTok.
Bloomberg revealed Donaldson's alliance includes Employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley, Roblox CEO David Baszucki, and Anchorage Digital's Nathan McCauley. The consortium estimates TikTok's acquisition could reach $25 billion despite ByteDance insisting its U.S. operations aren't for sale - a claim reinforced by Tinsley's admitted lack of direct response.
Donaldson's representatives confirm he's exploring multiple partnerships and anticipates aligning with the strongest bidder. "Credible groups pursuing TikTok have sought our involvement," Donaldson tweeted January 22. "Excited to help make this happen - big developments ahead."
The bid follows President Trump's recent comments about Microsoft's potential TikTok acquisition and his anticipation of competitive bidding. Microsoft hasn't officially verified these claims.
TikTok faced temporary suspension for its 170 million U.S. users ahead of January 19's ultimatum requiring ByteDance to divest or face prohibition. Service halted after the Supreme Court denied TikTok's First Amendment appeal.
Justices recognized data collection's prevalence but ruled: "TikTok's massive scale, foreign influence risks, and sensitive data handling warrant special consideration regarding national security."
Service resumed following Trump's assurance of no penalties for reinstatement. "This affirms First Amendment protections against unjust censorship," TikTok stated. "We'll collaborate with the administration for sustainable U.S. operations."
Trump's January 20 executive order pushed enforcement deadlines back 75 days while discussing potential buyers, including openness to Elon Musk's involvement through X/Twitter.
