TikTok May Launch New U.S. App Amid Push to Comply with Looming Sale-or-Ban Deadline

A new version of TikTok may soon hit app stores in the United States, signaling a major shift in how the platform operates for its 170 million American users. According to reports from The Information, TikTok is preparing to roll out a separate U.S.-only app as soon as September 5, in an effort to comply with U.S. law requiring its China-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest the popular platform or face a nationwide ban.

This development follows months of delays in enforcing the legislation, which was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden last year. Though the law allows only one 90-day delay, current President Donald Trump has postponed implementation three times, citing ongoing efforts to broker a deal that would keep TikTok accessible to American users. ByteDance has until September 17 to finalize a sale.

The reported new app could mark a dramatic departure from the current TikTok experience. A key reason is the platform’s powerful recommendation algorithm – widely seen as central to its success – which Chinese authorities have stated cannot be sold or transferred. If the U.S. version is developed independently, it may require a new algorithm built from scratch, potentially altering what content users see and how they interact with the platform.

Details remain fluid, but the existing app could reportedly be removed from U.S. app stores on the same day the new one launches. While current users might still have access to the older version until March 2026, the split could limit their ability to view or share content globally. Transferring existing profiles and data to the new app could also present technical hurdles.

This plan marks a stark reversal from TikTok’s previous stance. Just earlier this year, the company told the U.S. Supreme Court that creating a fully independent American version would take years and result in a fundamentally different platform. ByteDance previously warned that cutting the U.S. platform off from its global ecosystem would isolate American users from the broader TikTok community.

Despite Trump’s recent claim that a buyer has been found – a group of unnamed “very wealthy” individuals – Beijing’s approval remains uncertain. China’s government declined to comment this week when asked about the status of talks.

Legal experts suggest TikTok’s move to develop a separate U.S. app could be a proactive effort to future-proof its presence in the country, even if the current administration appears reluctant to enforce the law. “Eventually there’s going to be some political shift, and maybe there will be some accountability,” said Cornell Law School professor Gautam Hans. “So if I’m the company, maybe I’m happy with what’s going on today, but I have to think about the future.”

Under the law, a post-sale TikTok must sever data-sharing and operational ties with ByteDance. While ByteDance may retain a minority financial stake in a U.S. version, it cannot participate in algorithm development or user data management.

Last week, investor pressure intensified when Google shareholder Anthony Tan released letters from Attorney General Pam Bondi, assuring technology partners like Google that they wouldn’t face immediate legal consequences for continuing to support TikTok. Still, legal scholars such as Georgetown’s Steve Vladek remain skeptical, warning that future administrations could take a stricter view of the law’s enforcement.

Whether the reported U.S. version of TikTok will replicate the success of the original remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the clock is ticking.