Chinese video sharing platform TikTok is not engaged in talks to sell its US business to rival short-video-sharing app Triller, Tiktok's spokesperson told the CNBC broadcaster on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st August, 2020) Chinese video sharing platform TikTok is not engaged in talks to sell its US business to rival short-video-sharing app Triller, Tiktok's spokesperson told the CNBC broadcaster on Monday.
Last week, Bloomberg reported, citing a source, that London-based global investment firm Centricus and US-based Triller both expressed their interest in purchasing TikTok's operations in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and India for $20 billion.
"We can confirm that we are not and will not be in talks with them. Still, we are flattered by how much they admire TikTok," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Triller Executive Chairman Bobby Sarnevesht insisted that the bid had been submitted to TikTok's Beijing-based parent company ByteDance.
"We have confirmation that the chairman (Zhang Yiming) and people pretty high up at ByteDance are aware of it, and, we have correspondence going," Sarnevesht told CNBC.
In early August, US President Donald Trump threatened to ban TikTok by September 15 if it was not sold to a US company, triggering a lawsuit from TikTok owner ByteDance and sparking further diplomatic tensions with China.
ByteDance is currently in talks with microsoft and Oracle on the possible sale of TikTok. According to US media reports, Microsoft has emerged as the main bidder for TikTok while Twitter has also held talks with ByteDance.
Last week, CNBC reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the resignation of TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer just months after his appointment signaled a likely deal with Microsoft.
