Serena Williams shares post supporting husband Alexis Ohanian as he joins billionaire-led bid to buy TikTok

Tennis icon Serena Williams has shared a post supporting her husband and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian joining a high-profile attempt to buy TikTok's U.S. business. Ohanian has teamed up with billionaire Frank McCourt in an ambitious bid to acquire the social media company, with a vision of using blockchain technology to improve user privacy and data protection.

Ohanian's entry into the TikTok U.S. acquisition bid is timely as the app is under intense pressure from the U.S. government. Members of Congress have been calling on TikTok to cut ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, due to national security concerns. If the firm cannot identify a new owner, the app might be banned in the United States.

To address such concerns, billionaire real estate developer and former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, McCourt, has put together a consortium called "The People's Bid for TikTok," which will bring blockchain-based transparency and allow users to have more control over their information. Ohanian, an entrepreneur with an excellent background in digital innovation, has also become part of the consortium as a strategic adviser for social media.

Williams supported her husband's decision to bid to buy TikTok U.S. by resharing the news in her Instagram stories.

Checkout Serena Williams' Instagram Stories here:

Screengrab of Serena Williams' Instagram story (@serenawilliams)

McCourt's group, Project Liberty, has made a $20 billion all-cash bid as part of its offer; although experts think the valuation for TikTok can go even higher. Other suitor groups, including Microsoft and one led by Roblox CEO David Baszucki, reportedly have made offers worth over $30 billion.

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"TikTok should be American owned" - Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian

In Picture: Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian (Source: Getty)

Serena Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, claimed that TikTok must be owned by America after the U.S. House of Representatives introduced its March 2024 bill aimed at its Chinese parent firm, ByteDance.

In an Instagram video, Ohanian acknowledged feeling vindicated by the move, referring to China as a "strategic threat."

"It is a little validating for me because I have been advocating for something to happen for the last three or four years," Ohanian said.

"It's a strategic threat to the United States, but more pragmatically, no American social media companies are allowed to operate in China. So, as a matter of reciprocity, why are we letting a Chinese owned social media company operate in America? Very simple, very straightforward," he added.

He explained that he does not advocate banning TikTok, but wants it to be owned by Americans.

"I don't think it should be banned, I think it should be sold. Who knows, maybe Walmart ends up buying it...Amazon... I don't know," Alexis Ohanian said.

"I know A&E trust has come up a lot recently for some pretty silly M&A like Facebook trying to buy Giphy. But, there are plenty of folks who are very interested in buying TikTok who are not already part of the social media tech elite, who would be great candidates. I hope that's the outcome we get because it should be American owned," he added.

In other news, Alexis Ohanian revealed the potential new name he has in mind for TikTok if the acquisition goes through.