TikTok is reportedly developing a new version of its app that will be available only in the United States. This new app, internally known as ‘M2’, is expected to launch on September 5, reports The Information. This version will run on a different codebase and have its own infrastructure, independent from ByteDance’s systems in China. This separation is intended to ensure that US user data and the app’s recommendation algorithms are completely controlled by a US-based entity.
The plan involves a full migration of TikTok’s US user base (currently over 170 million people) to the new app. Once ‘M2’ is launched, American users will gradually be directed to switch over. According to the report, the current version of TikTok will remain available in the US for several months, but it is expected to be phased out by March 2026.
However, the transition will be a major technical challenge and could result in bugs, glitches, or even a loss of users if not handled smoothly. Content creators and advertisers may also face disruptions during this shift, especially if features or engagement patterns change.
In parallel, the short-video sharing platform is also exploring a potential sale of its US operations. The company is reportedly in talks with a group of American investors (including Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz, and possibly Blackstone) who may buy a controlling stake. Under the proposed deal, ByteDance would retain a minority interest but would no longer control the app’s operations or user data in the US.
Even US President Donald Trump recently stated that a new deal is close to being finalized. According to Trump, a buyer has been identified for the US operations of China’s TikTok. He mentioned that the prospective purchasers are ‘a group of very wealthy people’ and indicated that their identities would likely be revealed within around two weeks.
But the TikTok US sale is not going to be an easy task, even though the company is ready to move forward with the sale plan. One of the biggest obstacles lies with China’s strict export control laws, which prohibit the sale of certain technologies (including TikTok’s algorithm). Chinese officials have indicated they would not approve a sale that includes the algorithm, meaning the US version of the app may need to use a different or modified recommendation system.
Notably, all of this is happening in response to a US law passed in April 2024, which requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to either sell its US operations or face a nationwide ban. The US government has raised concerns that the app could allow the Chinese government to access the personal data of American users. To address these concerns, lawmakers introduced and passed the ‘Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act’, which aims to force a change in ownership or control of apps run by companies from countries seen as unfriendly to the United States. Last month, Trump extended the deadline to September 17 for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations or shut it down.
