Is MrBeast planning a TikTok takeover? The YouTube star seems ready to make a move

WTF?! With everything that’s happened to TikTok over the last few days, it’s no surprise that the app and owner ByteDance have rarely been out of the news cycle. There have even been reports that YouTube’s most-subscribed star, Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, is in the race to buy TikTok’s US operations, though his spokesperson said discussions are ongoing.

Donaldson posted a jokey message on X on January 13 that read, “Okay fine, I’ll buy Tik Tok so it doesn’t get banned.” A day later, he wrote that “Unironically I’ve had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this, let’s see if we can pull this off.”

Donaldson taking over TikTok might be more plausible than it sounds. There were reports earlier this month that Chinese authorities were considering selling TikTok to X owner Elon Musk. Donald Trump has said he is open to Musk or fellow tech billionaire Larry Ellison buying the app in the US.

On Tuesday, law firm Paul Hastings announced that it is advising a syndicate of investors led by Recruiter.com founder/CEO Jesse Tinsley in an all-cash offer to acquire TikTok’s US operations and various assets from ByteDance. It adds that the investor group comprises institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, including MrBeast.

The statement does not include the size of the bid, though Trump said the app was valued at $1 trillion with a “permit” to operate in the US under 50% US ownership. Donaldson’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 billion.

On Tuesday evening, Donaldson replied to a tweet about his bid to buy TikTok alongside investors. He wrote that “The leading groups who are all credible bidding on Tik Tok have reached out for us to help them, I’m excited to partner/make this a reality. Big things cooking”

The leading groups who are all credible bidding on Tik Tok have reached out for us to help them, I’m excited to partner/make this a reality. Big things cooking 🥰

– MrBeast (@MrBeast) January 22, 2025

While all signs point to Donaldson trying to become a part-owner of US TikTok, MrBeast spokesperson Matthew Hiltzik said the YouTube star hasn’t yet officially joined any bids. “Several buyers are holding ongoing discussions with Jimmy,” Hiltzik told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “He has no exclusive agreements with any of them.”

After blocking access for US users on Saturday, hours before it was due to be banned, TikTok’s services began returning on Sunday, for which the company thanked Trump. On his first day in office on Monday, the president issued an executive order telling the DoJ not to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act or to punish those who violate it for 75 days.

TikTok is still not available to download from the Apple App and Google Play Stores after being removed over the weekend.