Time is running out for TikTok to find a U.S. buyer: who is in the race to acquire it?

Time is running out for TikTok to find a buyer in the United States. The Chinese platform's parent company, ByteDance, is required to sell the app's operations in the country by April 5. The situation comes after President Donald Trump extended the deadline in January.

Should the company fail to reach an agreement, the platform - with at least 170 million users in the United States - could face a ban in the country.

Which companies are interested in buying TikTok?

President Trump assured that there are many companies interested in acquiring TikTok. He also stated that he wants the app to continue operating in the country.

"We have a lot of potential buyers, there's tremendous interest in Tiktok. I'd like to see Tiktok remain alive," Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

In that sense, there are several bidders who are in the race to buy the digital platform. Among the buyers, for example, is a group led by billionaire Frank McCourt, former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and famed "Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary.

In addition, explained CNN, there is another interested group that includes social media influencer Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast) and the founder of Employer.com Jesse Tinsley; and artificial intelligence company Perplexity.

Other media outlets such as Bloomberg assert that Oracle -current technology partner of the platform-is also looking to strike a deal to buy TikTok.

"Last week, a proposal circulated within the Trump administration that would require Oracle to collaborate with U.S. buyers to ensure the security of user data," Bloomberg reported.

"There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement," says Vance 

In addition, CNN recalled, President Trump has raised the possibility of a recently proposed U.S. sovereign wealth fund acquiring part or all of the app. However, no details on this proposal have been offered.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance, who is charged with overseeing the potential TikTok deal along with national security adviser Michael Waltz, is convinced that a deal will be reached. He said so during an interview with NBC in early March.

"There will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise," Vance said.

Although the government is not ruling out extending the deadline for the platform to secure a buyer, the vice president noted that he expects a deal to be struck before the deadline.