Exclusive | TikTok owner ByteDance’s valuation hits US$500 billion as US survival plan advances


China’s ByteDance, owner of TikTok, has seen its valuation surge to US$500 billion on the private market as it advances a survival plan in the US, up sharply from US$400 billion earlier this year, according to two sources.
With the deadline for a sell-or-ban law looming, TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi informed employees last week that the company had signed a binding agreement to divest its US entity into a joint venture controlled by American investors.

“Investors are happy about the deal’s terms as ByteDance can continue to reap earnings from TikTok in the US,” said one of the sources, who is directly involved in the matter.

ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US$500 billion figure would mark a record for the short video and artificial intelligence giant. ByteDance’s valuation previously approached US$400 billion in April 2021, when the company considered a public listing for Douyin, TikTok’s Chinese sibling app, according to a Post report. Weeks later, the company said it had no immediate plans to go public.

ByteDance has signed a binding agreement to divest its US entity into a joint venture controlled by American investors. Photo: EPA
ByteDance has signed a binding agreement to divest its US entity into a joint venture controlled by American investors. Photo: EPA

The valuation, which since then dropped, returned to US$400 billion in the second quarter this year as the company worked on the US deal and made progress in AI, the other source said. It rose further when a Chinese investment firm bought ByteDance shares at a valuation of US$480 billion, reflecting strong investor interest, Bloomberg reported in November.

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