Tik Tok HQ to Move to London?

ByteDance confirms an international move for TikTok is under consideration.

09:17 05 August 2020

China's ByteDance has confirmed plans of moving TikTok HQ outside the United States. On Monday, the giant tech company said it was considering moving the headquarter of its video-sharing platform overseas. The news was followed by a report from British media that the firm could relocate to London where other tech majors like Google and Facebook have a strong presence. 

 

A spokesperson for ByteDance said: "ByteDance is committed to being a global company. In light of the current situation, ByteDance has been evaluating the possibility of establishing TikTok's headquarters outside of the US to better serve our global users." 

 

The British government has commented on the news that the possible relocation of TikTok's HQ was a decision for the company. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "It would be a commercial decision, and I'm not aware that one has been taken." 

 

ByteDance decision comes at a fraught time in relations between China and the West, exemplified by the battle over the use in 5G telecom networks of kit made by China's Huawei. Britain sided with Washington last month and announced that it is banning the use of Huawei from its 5G networks from 2027. 

 

Meanwhile, President Trump reversed course on a plan to ban the app in the United States after it emerged that Microsoft Corp has signified its intention of buying TikTok. The two companies have 45 days to come up with a deal.