"Going to be oversight" — Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary on buying TikTok with US sovereign wealth fund

Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary addressed the potential acquisition of TikTok through a U.S. sovereign wealth fund in a recent Fox News interview posted on his Instagram on February 5, 2025.

When asked about the idea, O'Leary stated,

"The question is, how do you buy the algorithm and still comply with the laws of Congress and the order of the Supreme Court? And that's where I think things are going to get interesting. Frank McCourt and I may have found a way to do that. We have to test it. Obviously, it's going to be oversight."

The Shark Tank investor underscored the complexity of such a transaction, particularly regarding compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.

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Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary shares insight on TikTok acquisition and legal challenges

TikTok’s algorithm and ownership challenges

O'Leary explained that the key issue in acquiring TikTok is securing ownership of the algorithm while adhering to U.S. legal requirements. He emphasized,

"Yiming, the designer and founder of TikTok, that created the algorithm. The question is, how do you buy the algorithm and still comply with the laws of Congress and the order of the Supreme Court?"

This statement highlighted the central role of TikTok’s algorithm in determining the feasibility of any deal. He further noted that TikTok operates differently from other social media platforms, saying,

"No one ever got that much market share in social media ever, because it doesn’t use influencers. When you go on TikTok, it's not about any individual that you’re following. You’re following content that you like that the algorithm figured out you enjoy."

The Shark Tank investor underscored that differentiation contributes to TikTok’s influence in the social media landscape.

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The role of a U.S. sovereign wealth fund

Former President Donald Trump has expressed interest in the creation of a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, which could potentially be used to facilitate the acquisition of TikTok. O'Leary commented on this possibility by stating,

"TikTok is really Trump’s deal now. If he wants to have ownership of TikTok through a sovereign wealth fund, I’m sure that’s fine."

His statement indicated that the decision would largely depend on policymakers and their approach to structuring such a fund. O'Leary also addressed the financial aspect of the deal, explaining that funding has not been a major obstacle. He stated,

"We’ve never had a problem raising capital for the cap table. There’s lots of interest there."

The Shark Tank investor's remark suggested that investors are willing to participate in the transaction, provided the legal and regulatory challenges can be resolved.

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Potential involvement of TikTok’s founder

O’Leary emphasized that any acquisition would likely require cooperation with TikTok’s founder, Zhang Yiming. He explained,

"Can we get Yiming to the table? Will it be a joint venture with the founder and the genius that created the algorithm?"

He suggested that talks with Zhang Yiming might be needed to ensure the deal meets U.S. legal requirements while keeping the platform functional. He also admitted the deal's outcome was uncertain.

"We don’t yet know if we can get Yiming to the table and do a joint venture with the founder and the genius that created the algorithm. We’ll see what happens here."

The Shark Tank investor indicated that negotiations are still in the early stages and that the outcome remains uncertain.

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