TikTok Launches New American Version of "CapCut" to Avoid Ban

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, is preparing to launch a new American version of the video editing app CapCut, in a move aimed at maintaining the platform's presence in the United States and avoiding government bans.

According to a report by Business Insider, the TikTok team is working on developing a local version of the app, internally referred to as "Em 2". The company plans to sell the majority stake in this version to American investors, while ByteDance retains a minority stake, making the app compliant with U.S. government requirements.

A report by The Information, citing unnamed sources, revealed that TikTok aims to launch the new app by September 5, just days before the deadline set by President Donald Trump on September 17. It is expected that both the current and new versions will operate concurrently until March next year, before the global version is permanently discontinued in U.S. stores.

The report did not specify whether the sale process includes TikTok's recommendation algorithm, or if the new app will rely on a modified version ensuring user data is not stored outside the United States. Ultimately, users will need to download the American version to continue using the service, despite the current app continuing to operate until March with a possible extension.

This move comes after statements by President Trump announcing a "tentative agreement" to sell TikTok assets in the United States, indicating negotiations with China regarding the deal. China had previously hindered a deal to separate U.S. operations after imposing new tariffs on its goods.

It is worth noting that Trump extended the final deadline for ByteDance last month until September 17 to complete the sale of TikTok, amid security concerns over data usage by the Chinese government.