In a dramatic turn of events, Tim Stokely, the founder of OnlyFans, has submitted a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok, entering a high-stakes race that includes tech giant Amazon — just days before President Donald Trump’s acquisition deadline set for this Saturday.
According to a report by Reuters, Stokely made the unexpected offer through his new startup, Zoop, in collaboration with The Hbar Foundation, a blockchain-focused crypto organization.
Although specific financial details of the bid remain undisclosed, the move positions Zoop as an underdog challenger in what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched tech acquisition battles of the year.
In a statement shared with Wired, Zoop characterized the bid as a bold step in support of a "creator-first revolution", framing it as a “David vs. Goliath” moment in the social media landscape. “This represents a stand against traditional tech giants and an opportunity to redefine content ownership and creator monetization,” the company stated.
The race to acquire TikTok follows mounting pressure from the Trump administration, which has raised national security concerns over the app’s ownership by China-based ByteDance. Any successful bidder would need to secure regulatory approvals and demonstrate a plan to safeguard American user data.
Stokely’s entry adds a surprising twist to the saga, with analysts watching closely to see if a blockchain-backed, creator-focused platform can credibly challenge legacy tech players in the bid for one of the world’s most influential social media apps.
Amazon also offered to acquire the social media platform Wednesday in a letter addressed to Vice President J.D. Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the New York Times reported. A source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Independent that Amazon made a bid for TikTok.