Kingdom Holding Company, led by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, is open to investing in TikTok if Elon Musk or another high-profile buyer steps up, CEO Talal Ibrahim al-Maiman told Al Arabiya TV.
KHC already backs Musk’s other ventures, including social platform X and AI startup xAI.
A TikTok deal would extend the Saudi firm’s portfolio into the social video giant, while indirectly linking TikTok to the Saudi state via Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns a minority stake in KHC.
TikTok narrowly avoided a shutdown under Donald Trump, earning a 75-day extension to comply with a US law mandating a sale or ban.
Musk, now floated as a potential buyer, has Trump’s blessing: “I would be [open to it] if he wanted to buy it.”
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TikTok suitors
But Musk isn’t the only big name circling the Chinese app. YouTube titan MrBeast has hinted he would be interested as well, making the competition for TikTok’s future ownership even more intriguing.
With a $9.2 billion market cap, KHC holds stakes in a wide array of global brands: American financial services major Citi, Chinese e-commerce powerhouse JD.com, Saudi budget airline flynas and luxury hotel giants Accor and Four Seasons.
KHC Founder and Chairman Prince Alwaleed, often dubbed the “Arabian Warren Buffett,” has built a reputation for bold and strategic investments.
One of the best examples of his investment acumen is his bet on Citi during a critical period in the 1990s, when it was facing severe financial difficulties due to the US savings and loan crisis.
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While other investors were avoiding the company, Prince Alwaleed invested $590 million. Citi now has a market cap of $153 billion.
While celebrated for his business savvy, Alwaleed has faced challenges, including his 2017 detention during Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption crackdown, which was resolved through a settlement.
If KHC does indeed join TikTok’s ownership, it would mark another bold move in Alwaleed’s career — and deepen Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in tech.
The question now: will Musk seal the deal?
Edited by Ankush Chibber. If you have any tips, ideas or feedback, please get in touch: talk-to-us@moniify.com
