On July 7, 2025, reports emerged that TikTok is developing a new version of its app for U.S. users, set for a September 5 launch, ahead of a planned sale to American investors, per The Information. This follows President Trump’s push for a deal with China.
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, plans to release a new version of its app in U.S. app stores on September 5, 2025. Users will be required to download this app to continue using the service after March 2026. This decision aligns with President Trump’s extended deadline of September 17 for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations to a firm with a U.S. majority stake. Trump indicated on July 4 that a deal was nearly finalised, with discussions set to begin on July 7 or 8.
TikTok will launch a new app specifically for U.S. users called ‘M2’ on September 5th ahead of a potential sale.
The current version will shut down by March 2026 & users will need to download the new version to keep accessing TikTok. pic.twitter.com/jeKGGaVCPi
— ToonHive (@ToonHive) July 6, 2025The sale follows Trump’s April 2025 tariff threats on Chinese goods, which were paused after China’s refusal. TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users face a potential ban if no agreement is reached amid concerns over national security and data privacy.
China’s approval is essential for ByteDance, as the company needs state consent, according to Reuters. Previous discussions fell through due to Trump’s threat of a 10% tariff on BRICS goods, which could affect $1.7 trillion in U.S.-China trade.
The new app aims to preserve TikTok’s $24 billion in U.S. advertising revenue, but it is facing increased scrutiny from lawmakers, with 60% of Americans supporting a ban. Ongoing negotiations are taking place with investors, including Oracle.y.
