Amazon throwing its hat in the ring to buy TikTok, the wildly popular video app facing a U.S. ban if it doesn’t find an American owner by Saturday, April 5. Amazon’s made a late play to snap up all of TikTok, not just parts, according to insiders reported by The New York Times. It’s a curveball in a high-stakes game that’s got President Donald Trump, 170 million U.S. users, and global markets on edge, just days before the clock runs out. But not everyone’s buying it—some call it a long shot that’s more noise than deal.
The bid came out of nowhere, detailed in a letter to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Amazon’s been cozying up to TikTok since August 2024, when they rolled out a deal letting TikTok users shop Amazon products right in the app—think linking your accounts for quick buys with real-time prices and Prime shipping. Now, Amazon’s going all-in, aiming to own the platform that’s reshaped how millions shop, scroll, and share. “It’s a power move,” one source told “Amazon sees TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users as a goldmine.”
This isn’t just about videos of dances or lip-syncs. TikTok’s become a shopping juggernaut—its TikTok Shop raked in $32 million a day in 2024, with 47 million U.S. buyers snapping up cheap clothes, gadgets, and beauty stuff. Amazon’s already the king of online retail, but TikTok’s “shoppertainment”—where influencers sell straight to fans—threatens that crown. BYD’s beating Tesla in EVs, Temu’s undercutting on price, and now TikTok’s blending social media with impulse buys. “Amazon’s waking up,” said Roee Zelcer, ex-TikTok sales head, to Forbes. “They can’t let this slip.”
The timing’s tight. Last year, Congress passed a law forcing TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell or face a ban over security fears—data on Americans could go to Beijing, lawmakers say. January 19 was the original deadline, but Trump, sworn in January 20, pushed it to April 5 after the Supreme Court upheld the law. Trump’s flipped from his 2020 ban push—now he’s TikTok’s “savior,” meeting with aides to weigh options, says Yahoo Finance. Other bidders? Oracle and Blackstone are in talks for a U.S.-led deal diluting Chinese stakes below 20%, while YouTuber MrBeast and payroll founder Jesse Tinsley have tossed in offers too, the Daily Mail.
Amazon’s bid’s got skeptics, though. “Nobody’s taking it seriously yet,” a source told The New York Times. Administration officials see it as a Hail Mary—ByteDance says TikTok’s not for sale, and China could block any deal. Amazon stock jumped 1.3% after the news, but it’s down 8% since Trump’s tariff talk. The e-commerce giant’s got cash—$60 billion in reserves—but TikTok’s valuation floats around $100 billion-plus, a hefty lift even for Jeff Bezos’s crew. “It’s a stretch,” an insider said. “Amazon’s fishing.”
Their ties run deep already. TikTok’s “For You” feed now pumps out Amazon ads—users sync accounts once, then buy without leaving, a setup Pinterest joined too. Amazon’s influencers push products there, racking commissions, and its cloud tech has powered TikTok’s U.S. ops. Last year’s flop—Amazon Inspire, a TikTok clone axed in 2025—showed they couldn’t beat TikTok at its own game. Buying it? That’s a shortcut to owning social commerce, not just playing in it. “It’s not just small fries mad about a ban now—it’s Amazon too,” Zelcer told Forbes.
What’s in it for Amazon? TikTok’s young crowd—Gen Z and Millennials who’d rather watch than search—could flood Amazon’s sales. Its algorithm, feeding users what they love, could pair with Amazon’s logistics to crush rivals like Temu or Shein. But risks loom—privacy hawks might howl louder about Amazon hoarding TikTok’s user data, and sellers worry tracking sales from TikTok to Amazon’s still shaky. “It’s a gamble,” said Jason Goldberg of Publicis Groupe to CNBC. “Convenience might not trump trust.”
TikTok’s staying mum—no comment. ByteDance’s dug in, saying China won’t let go, and Trump’s Oval Office huddle might lean toward the Oracle plan instead. Amazon declined to talk too, leaving this bid a wild card. If it flops, their in-app shopping tie keeps rolling—users bought $500 million via TikTok Shop in Q1 2025, some funneled to Amazon. But if it lands? It’s a game-changer—e-commerce and social media under one roof, with Trump’s blessing or not.