The TikTok deal is done, finally | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.The TikTok deal is done, finallyComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechBusinessCloseBusinessPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All BusinessNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsThe TikTok deal is done, finallyTikTok is now under new ownership in the US, but what happens next?TikTok is now under new ownership in the US, but what happens next?by Richard LawlerCloseRichard LawlerSenior News EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Richard LawlerJan 23, 2026, 1:01 AM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesPart OfTikTok ban: all the news on the app’s shutdown and return in the USsee all updates Richard LawlerCloseRichard LawlerPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Richard Lawler is a senior editor following news across tech, culture, policy, and entertainment. He joined The Verge in 2021 after several years covering news at Engadget.Just over a year after it briefly disappeared from app stores, TikTok in the US is now part of a new entity, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. With approval from both the US and China closing on the schedule laid out in December, ByteDance’s ownership of the new joint venture is now only 19.9 percent to satisfy the terms of the divest-or-ban law signed in 2024 by President Biden. The other 80.1 percent is owned by investment firm Silver Lake, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi investment firm MGX — the three “managing investors” that now hold 15 percent stakes — and several other smaller investors, like Michael Dell’s family investment firm.A press release announcing the deal’s closure didn’t say how much those stakes cost or give details about potentially launching a new app in the US. It did say that the joint venture’s oversight of “comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurances for U.S. users” will apply to TikTok, the video editor CapCut, Lemon8, and “a portfolio” of other apps and services.For now, most of what we know is about the joint venture’s seven-member board, which includes TikTok US CEO Shou Zi Chew, and its first executive appointments, with TikTok’s former head of operations and trust and safety, Adam Presser, now serving as CEO.TikTok USDS:Interoperability enables the Joint Venture to provide U.S. users with a global TikTok experience, ensuring U.S. creators can be discovered and businesses can operate on a global scale. TikTok global’s U.S. entities will manage global product interoperability and certain commercial activities, including e-commerce, advertising, and marketing.TikTok USDS Joint Venture’s mandate is to secure U.S. user data, apps and the algorithm through comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity measures. It will safeguard the U.S. content ecosystem through robust trust and safety policies and content moderation while ensuring continuous accountability through transparency reporting and third-party certifications.Data Protection: U.S. user data will be protected by USDS Joint Venture in Oracle’s secure U.S. cloud environment. The Joint Venture will operate a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program that is audited and certified by third party cybersecurity experts. The program will adhere to major industry standards, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) CSF and 800-53 and ISO 27001 as well as the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Security Requirements for Restricted Transactions.Algorithm Security: The Joint Venture will retrain, test, and update the content recommendation algorithm on U.S. user data. The content recommendation algorithm will be secured in Oracle’s U.S. cloud environment.Software Assurance: The Joint Venture will secure U.S. apps through software assurance protocols, and review and validate source code on an ongoing basis, assisted by its Trusted Security Partner, Oracle.Trust & Safety: The Joint Venture will safeguard the U.S. content ecosystem and have decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and content moderation.TikTok USDS Joint Venture has three managing investors, Silver Lake, Oracle and MGX, each holding 15%. Completing the full consortium of investors are: Dell Family Office, the investment firm of Michael Dell, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies; Vastmere Strategic Investments, LLC, an affiliate of Susquehanna International Group, LLP; Alpha Wave Partners; Revolution; Merritt Way, LLC controlled and managed by partners of Dragoneer; Via Nova, an affiliate of General Atlantic; Virgo LI, Inc., investment arm of a foundation established by Yuri and Julia Milner in support of science; and NJJ Capital, the family office of Xavier Niel, a French entrepreneur and pioneer in telecommunications. ByteDance retains 19.9% of the Joint Venture.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Richard LawlerCloseRichard LawlerSenior News EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Richard LawlerBusinessCloseBusinessPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All BusinessCreatorsCloseCreatorsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All CreatorsNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechTikTokCloseTikTokPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TikTokMore in: TikTok ban: all the news on the app’s shutdown and return in the USThe TikTok deal could finally close this week.Terrence O'BrienJan 22The TikTok US sale is finally happeningEmma RothDec 18, 2025Even the lawmakers behind the TikTok ban have no idea what’s going onLauren FeinerNov 17, 2025Most PopularMost PopularClaude Code is suddenly everywhere inside MicrosoftSony announces its first turntables in yearsWhat a Sony and TCL partnership means for the future of TVsEveryone can hear your TV in their headphones using this transmitterHow much can a city take?The Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The finalization of the TikTok deal represents a significant shift in the ongoing regulatory battle surrounding the popular video-sharing app. Following a protracted period of uncertainty and intense negotiation, ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has established a new joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. This structure, approved by both the United States and China, effectively satisfies the terms of the 2024 divest-or-ban law enacted by President Biden. Crucially, ByteDance now holds a reduced ownership stake of just 19.9% within the joint venture, a necessary condition to circumvent the legislation’s restrictions designed to mitigate security concerns related to data access and potential governmental influence.

The remaining 80.1% of TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is distributed among a consortium of investment firms and entities, including Silver Lake, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi investment firm MGX, alongside smaller investors like Michael Dell’s family investment firm. This diversified ownership reflects the complex agreement and the substantial commitment required to ensure the app’s continued operation within the U.S. market. The joint venture’s scope extends beyond simply maintaining the TikTok app itself; it encompasses TikTok, the video editor CapCut, Lemon8, and a “portfolio” of other apps and services, suggesting a broader strategy for ByteDance’s operations in the United States.

The core of the deal lies in the establishment of a seven-member board of directors, led by TikTok US CEO Shou Zi Chew. This governance structure reflects a concerted effort to address concerns regarding data protection, algorithmic security, content moderation, and software assurances. Adam Presser, previously TikTok’s head of operations and trust and safety, has been appointed as CEO of the joint venture, indicating a continuity of expertise within the organization.

A key element of the agreement is the implementation of stringent safeguards designed to protect U.S. user data. Oracle will provide a secure U.S. cloud environment to house user data, reflecting a commitment to adhering to U.S. data privacy regulations. The joint venture will undergo third-party audits and certifications to validate its security measures, adhering to industry standards such as the NIST CSF, 800-53, and ISO 27001, along with Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) requirements. This layered approach aims to bolster confidence among users and regulators alike.

Further emphasizing the commitment to responsible operation, the joint venture is tasked with securing the U.S. content ecosystem through robust trust and safety policies and content moderation, ensuring continuous accountability through transparent reporting and independent certifications. The agreement represents a significant step in managing the ongoing concerns surrounding TikTok’s data practices and potential geopolitical implications.