Is TikTok Facing a Ban on April 5? Here’s Why the App’s Future Remains Uncertain (and Which YouTuber Is Interested in Purchasing It)

The TikTok application with a message announcing the ban is seen in this illustration photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on 19 January, 2025.

The future of TikTok remains uncertain.

Shortly after President Donald Trump took office on January 20, he signed an executive order postponing a potential ban on the app for 75 days, with the new deadline set for April 5.

Trump first sought to ban TikTok in 2020, issuing an executive order that was later blocked by the courts.

Under President Joe Biden, Congress revisited the TikTok ban, passing a bill that was signed into law in April 2024. The “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” mandates that ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, sell the app to a U.S. owner, citing national security concerns over the potential for the Chinese government to use TikTok for espionage.

While there have been some allegations of surveillance on the app—Forbes reported in 2022 that TikTok had spied on its journalists—ByteDance has denied any involvement with the Chinese government.

After the law passed, ByteDance sued the U.S., claiming it violated First Amendment rights, but the Supreme Court upheld the ruling, according to the Associated Press.

With the April 5 deadline rapidly approaching, American TikTok users are left wondering about the app’s future. Here’s everything you need to know about what might happen to TikTok on that date.

Will the TikTok ban go into effect on April 5?

A TikTok creator holds a sign supporting the company during a news conference outside the US Capitol on March 22, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Whether TikTok will be accessible to U.S. users after April 5 depends on whether ByteDance sells the app to an American buyer. However, Trump stated on March 6 that he would “probably” extend his original deadline.

“We have a lot of interest in TikTok,” the president said, according to Forbes. “So hopefully China will approve the deal.”

Under the legislation, Trump can only extend the deadline by up to 90 days if there is evidence that ByteDance is actively working towards a sale, as reported by NBC.

Who wants to buy TikTok?

Alexis Ohanian speaks onstage during the Robin Hood Benefit 2022 on May 09, 2022 in New York City ; Kevin O’Leary “Mr. Wonderful” on Shark Tank ; MrBeast speaks during the 74th NBA All-Star Game on February 16, 2025 in San Francisco, California.

In early March 2025, Trump told reporters that “a lot of people want” TikTok and that he was negotiating with “four different groups,” according to the AP. While the identities of these groups were not disclosed, several companies and prominent individuals have publicly expressed interest in acquiring the app.

Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams’ husband and Reddit co-founder, is part of a consortium called “The People’s Bid for TikTok,” which is led by billionaire Frank McCourt. If successful, the group plans to redesign the app using blockchain technology to give users greater control over their data, as reported by AP.

When asked on X what he would rename the app, Ohanian replied, “TikTok: Freedom Edition.”

Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary, known as “Mr. Wonderful,” also joined the consortium in January 2025. That same month, TikTok and YouTube star MrBeast (real name: Jimmy Donaldson) tweeted that he would buy the app “so it doesn’t get banned.”

His lawyer later confirmed to CNN that Donaldson was serious about the offer.

How much longer will TikTok be available?

Participants hold signs in support of TikTok outside the U.S. Capitol Building on March 13, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Under Trump’s executive order, Attorney General Pam Bondi will not enforce the TikTok ban until April 5.

Whether the app remains available after that date depends on whether the U.S. can facilitate a sale between ByteDance and an American buyer. If no deal is reached, Bondi may choose not to enforce the ban.