Jimmy Donaldson - aka MrBeast - was jubilant as he told his tens of millions of TikTok followers about his bid to buy the platform. "I might become you guys' new CEO! I'm super excited!" Donaldson said from a private jet. He then proceeded to promise $10,000 to five random new followers.

Content creator Jimmy Donaldson, known on the Internet as MrBeast, has made it clear he is interested in buying TikTok. Donaldson has the most subscribers of any user on YouTube— over 340 million—and boasts over 113 million TikTok followers.

As TikTok faces a potential ban, various bidders, including Elon Musk and Larry Ellison, are key contenders to buy the platform. Meanwhile, Netflix remains a possible option among streaming giants, though the company has not historically pursued major acquisitions.

The media personality himself is also a controversial figure. MrBeast, real name James Stephen “Jimmy” Donaldson, has faced accusations of fostering a difficult working environment, bullying employees, rigging contests, misleading fans, and knowingly employing a registered sex offender.

The bidding for TikTok’s future is heating up, with tech heavyweights including Elon Musk, Amazon, Oracle, and a consortium led by billionaire Frank McCourt also joining the race. This high-profile acquisition has garnered global attention, with the sale expected to become one of the largest in tech history.