Blackstone Considers Minority Investment in U.S. TikTok Spinoff

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Private equity giant Blackstone is exploring a potential minority investment in TikTok’s U.S. operations, joining a group of non-Chinese shareholders led by Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic. This group is actively discussing fresh capital infusion to bid for TikTok’s U.S. business, with plans to spin off the U.S. operations into a separate entity, reducing Chinese ownership below the 20% threshold required by U.S. law.

This move comes as TikTok’s future in the U.S. hangs in the balance due to national security concerns. A law passed last year mandates ByteDance to divest TikTok by January 19 or face a potential ban. While the deadline has been extended under President Trump’s administration, negotiations continue to ensure compliance with the law.

ByteDance and its investors, including Blackstone, have yet to disclose the amount of new investment needed to meet the divestment requirements. Legal filings indicate that global investors own about 58% of ByteDance, with the company’s Chinese founder Zhang Yiming holding another 21%. Employees from various nationalities, including 7,000 Americans, own the remaining shares.

Discussions surrounding TikTok’s future involve significant U.S. government input, with the White House acting as a key player in the deal-making process.

CoreWeave’s Nasdaq Debut Valued at $23 Billion Amid Market Volatility

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CoreWeave, an AI infrastructure company backed by Nvidia, made its muted debut on the Nasdaq on Friday, with shares closing flat after opening nearly 3% below its initial offer price. The debut gives the company a fully diluted valuation of $23 billion, but the lackluster performance has raised concerns about the broader market’s appetite for IPOs, especially amid tariff uncertainties and a turbulent equity market.

The stock opened at $39, below the IPO price of $40, and closed with little change. This followed a challenging pre-IPO process, where CoreWeave downsized its offering. The company is part of the AI infrastructure wave, providing access to data centers and Nvidia chips, which are in high demand for developing AI applications.

Despite these promising prospects, concerns about long-term growth and risks in a volatile market persist. CoreWeave’s heavy reliance on major clients like Microsoft, which accounts for a significant portion of its revenue, has drawn attention, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Big Tech’s AI investment strategies and competition from cheaper AI solutions like China’s DeepSeek.

CoreWeave’s IPO raised $1.5 billion, with Nvidia contributing a $250 million order. The company has secured a substantial contract with OpenAI, valued at $11.9 billion, to reduce customer concentration risks. However, CoreWeave faces challenges due to its capital intensity, debt load, and reliance on leased data centers.

Scale AI Eyes $25 Billion Valuation in Potential Tender Offer Amid AI Boom

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Scale AI, a rapidly growing artificial intelligence startup, is seeking a valuation as high as $25 billion in a potential tender offer, according to a report from Business Insider. The company, which has seen rising demand for AI services, aims to leverage the current AI boom, which has attracted significant attention from major tech players.

The startup, based in California, is in discussions regarding the terms of the tender offer, which could involve investors or the company purchasing shares from existing shareholders. However, the final valuation may change depending on negotiations.

Founded in 2016, Scale AI is already valued at nearly $14 billion, as per its last funding round. The company counts tech giants such as Nvidia, Amazon, and Meta among its backers. Scale AI specializes in providing high-quality, accurately labeled data essential for training machine learning models, including advanced tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Despite its success, the company is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor regarding compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, adding a layer of regulatory scrutiny.