The future of TikTok hangs in the balance this week as the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) prepares to issue a verdict on banning the platform. For months, speculation has been rising about what will become of the popular content creation app that has launched many viral videos and created entire careers.

ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is required to sell the app to a U.S.-based buyer or face a nationwide ban.

By Alimat Aliyeva The Chinese company ByteDance Ltd. may sell the TikTok short video application to Elon Musk, Blo

TikTok has dismissed the report suggesting China might allow the potential sale of the social media company's US operations to billionaire Elon Musk and called it "pure fiction." The ByteDance-owned company's comments came in response to a Bloomberg report claiming Chinese officials are exploring options to sell US TikTok operations to Musk as the video-sharing platform faces an American law requiring imminent Chinese divestment.

As the Jan. 19 date for a TikTok ban approaches, another name is emerging as a potential buyer: SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who already owns X.

TikTok’s time will expire on Jan. 19 if no buyer is found or the Supreme Court rules in the app’s favor. Here’s what to know.

Americans are going to lose access to TikTok in less than a week, unless China green-lights a sale to what Congress has deemed a non-adversary of the United States — something China is unlikely to do but might.