Key Points
- TikTok is developing a new, standalone app designed exclusively for its U.S. users. The new app is part of a planned sale of its U.S. operations to American investors.
- President Trump has set a September 17 deadline for TikTok’s parent company to sell its U.S. assets.
- The new app is scheduled to launch on September 5, and users will eventually be required to switch to it.
- President Trump says a deal is nearly done, but it will likely need approval from the Chinese government.
TikTok is reportedly developing a new version of its app specifically for users in the United States as part of a planned sale to a group of American investors. The move is the clearest sign yet that the company is preparing for a future where its U.S. operations are separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
The news comes as President Donald Trump has indicated that a deal to sell the popular video app is nearly complete. Last month, Trump gave ByteDance until September 17 to sell off its U.S. assets or face a ban, citing national security concerns.
According to a report from The Information, the new U.S.-only app is scheduled to launch on September 5. Current TikTok users will eventually need to download the new app to continue using the service, although the existing app is expected to remain functional until March of next year.
A deal to spin off TikTok’s U.S. business was nearly finalized earlier this year but fell apart after China signaled it would not approve the sale, particularly following Trump’s announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Now, it appears the talks are back on, with Trump acknowledging that any final deal will likely require China’s approval to be implemented.
