The news: As the Saturday deadline for a TikTok sale approaches, Amazon and AppLovin have made last-minute bids to acquire all of the app, per New York Times and CNBC reporting. President Donald Trump and TikTok are simultaneously offering reassurances that a deal will be inked in time.

• Amazon reportedly made the offer via a letter to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick—though the Times reported that various people involved in the talks aren’t taking Amazon’s bid seriously.
• The bid “is proof of TikTok’s prowess in ecommerce and the changing nature of how consumers shop and buy,” per EMARKETER vice president of content Jasmine Enberg.
• AppLovin is in negotiations to acquire TikTok, with individuals familiar with the matter telling CNBC that the Trump administration is “fully aware” of AppLovin’s interest.
• Trump recently stated he would “like to see TikTok remain alive,” adding that there are “a lot of potential buyers” and that “the decision is gonna be my decision.”

TikTok makes its case: TikTok is pushing advertisers to increase their spending on the platform and is seemingly confident that a deal will be made—and some brands are buying in.

While a looming ban is causing some advertisers to hesitate, others are increasing spending on the platform. Coca-Cola, Comcast, Google, Amazon, PepsiCo, and Warner Bros. Discovery increased their US spend on TikTok by two percentage points YoY in Q1 2025, per Sensor Tower.

Zooming out: Negotiations for a TikTok deal have been ongoing since Trump initially gave the app a 75-day extension in January. Since then, numerous buyers have been floated, Trump has indicated possible solutions, and TikTok has made several efforts to prove its value.

• Oracle was previously considered the likeliest buyer, but this could change with the Amazon and AppLovin offers. Amazon has provided TikTok with some technical infrastructure, though it’s unclear if that relationship makes it the preferred partner.
• Trump has indicated that he could lower US tariffs on China to secure a deal, stating that “in order to get China” to agree to a sale, “maybe I’d give them a reduction in tariffs.”
• TikTok has repeatedly attempted to prove its economic value, launching a campaign across DC Metro stations with statements from small business owners like “TikTok took us from $10 to $25,000 in a week!” Other efforts include a report in partnership with Oxford Economics showing the platform’s impact on the US economy.

What happens without a deal? If both offers fall through and nothing is secured by Saturday, there’s a chance Trump could declare a new extension.

Still, another extension could further decrease confidence in the platform’s appeal as an advertising hub—something that’s already happening based on its declining CPMs and advertisers shifting their spending to less volatile platforms.

Our take: While top players seem to be confident in a TikTok deal, its future is far from certain, even with legitimate offers from Amazon and AppLovin—meaning advertisers need to adapt and TikTok needs to keep incentivizing.

Advertisers should prioritize flexible content that can be used across multiple short-form channels like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Investing in the places users are most likely to flock to if a ban occurs is crucial—but it’s important to not divest from TikTok entirely, as the platform maintains massive reach despite ongoing turbulence.

Go further: Read our Live FAQ on the TikTok ban.