ByteDance, the Chinese tech firm that owns TikTok, plans a new employee share buyback valuing the company at over US$330 billion, according to sources.

The repurchase, expected in autumn, will offer employees US$200.4 per share, up from US$189.9 about six months ago.

ByteDance’s Q2 revenue reached around US$48 billion, up 25% year-on-year, with most earnings coming from China.

In Q1, its revenue topped Meta’s US$42.3 billion, making it the largest social media company by sales.

Despite this, ByteDance’s valuation remains far below Meta’s US$1.9 trillion due to regulatory risks in the US.

TikTok’s US business continues to operate at a loss.

President Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US assets to September 17, 2025, and this deadline could be pushed back.

again.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Geopolitical risks create massive valuation discounts even for revenue leaders

ByteDance’s financial performance highlights how political uncertainty affects company valuations in global markets.

Despite surpassing Meta’s revenue—with ByteDance hitting $48 billion in Q2 2025 compared to Meta’s $42.3 billion in Q1—ByteDance’s $330 billion valuation remains less than a fifth of Meta’s roughly $1.9 trillion market capitalization1.

This valuation gap persists even though both companies maintained sales growth above 20% in Q2, driven by robust advertising demand1.

The discount reflects the substantial regulatory uncertainty ByteDance faces, including a Congressional mandate requiring divestiture of TikTok’s U.S. assets by September 17, 2025, and ongoing national security concerns about its Chinese ownership1.

TikTok’s U.S. operations remain unprofitable despite the company’s overall strong performance, suggesting ByteDance may be prioritizing market share over profitability in its most politically sensitive market1.

Recent ByteDance developments