TikTok is preparing to launch a new app in the US as it awaits a potential sale that would maintain its presence among millions of users in the country, according to media reports.
The popular video app, owned by a Chinese tech company, is under pressure to sell its operations by September 17 or face a nationwide ban due to security concerns raised by US government officials over the company’s ties to China.
TikTok plans to make the new app available on September 5, according to Tech News website InfoWorld . The existing app could stop working in March 2026, and when that happens, American users will have to download the new app to continue using TikTok, the publication said.
Tiktok did not respond to a request for comment.
Analysts expect the new app to attempt to address government security concerns. Officials have accused TikTok of sharing user data with the Chinese government, which the company denies.
Ray Wang, chief analyst and founder of Constellation Research, said he believes TikTok will remain popular in the U.S. even after the sale. More than 170 million Americans use TikTok as a way to entertain and educate themselves by watching videos on the app. Small businesses, influencers, and larger corporations are also following TikTok for product content.
“There will be a transition period from the old app to the new app,” Wang said. “The question is how the data will be migrated, and I’m sure they will have a solution for that.”
President Trump last month granted a 90-day extension until Sept. 17 to separate U.S. operations. The original deadline was Jan. 19, after Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, signed the law into law last year, but Trump has extended it several times since. TikTok has said the law “does not support the idea” that its Chinese ownership poses national security risks.
Potential buyers for Bytedance’s Tiktok U.S. operations include Oracle Corp. (co-founded by billionaire Larry Ellison), Amazon and an investment group led by Frank McCarthy, the former Dodgers owner who has “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary in the mix, analysts said. San Francisco artificial intelligence company Matlexity said in March it wanted to “ revamp” TikTok’s algorithm .
Any deal would require approval from the Chinese government. Analysts said it was unlikely that a sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations would include its algorithm – considered one of TikTok’s most valuable parts – that surfaces videos that interest its users.
Trump told reporters on Friday that he plans to discuss a TikTok deal with China this week, but declined to name a potential buyer, according to the New York Times.
“I think the deal is good for China and it’s good for us,” Trump said. “It’s money, it’s a lot of money.”
Trump’s first administration tried to ban TikTok, but the president has since changed. He has met with TikTok executives at Mar-a-Lago, mused about TikTok’s popularity with young people, and has built up his own significant following on the platform online.
During his second-term campaign, Trump positioned himself as an advocate for TikTok, saying, “Those who want to save TikTok in America, vote for Trump.”
Several TikTok creators told The Times that they have diversified where they post their content and believe their fans will follow them on other platforms if TikTok is banned.
