Investors pay $10B for TikTok's U.S. operations after deal to avert ban.

The Trump administration is set to receive about $10 billion from investors who acquired control of TikTok’s U.S. operations, according to the Wall Street Journal. The deal, finalized in January, created a U.S.-owned joint venture to manage TikTok’s American business, data, and algorithms under enhanced cybersecurity and privacy safeguards to address national security concerns. Investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX paid $2.5 billion upfront, with additional payments to reach the full amount. The government’s role in facilitating the transaction, avoiding a potential ban, is cited as justification for the fee. The arrangement faces legal challenges from retail investors in rival social media platforms seeking to overturn the approval.