Walmart Joins Microsoft's Pursuit of TikTok
August 27 2020 - 12:41PM
Dow Jones News
By Sarah Nassauer
Walmart Inc. said it has held discussions with Microsoft Corp.
about partnering with the software giant in its pursuit of TikTok's
U.S. operations, the latest big company to enter the chase for the
popular short video-sharing app.
The Trump administration has pushed TikTok's owner, Chinese
technology giant ByteDance Ltd., to sell its American operations
after targeting the app over national-security concerns. Microsoft
Corp., Oracle Corp. and Twitter Inc. have all been named as
possible buyers of its operations in North America, Australia and
New Zealand.
"The way TikTok has integrated e-commerce and advertising
capabilities in other markets is a clear benefit to creators and
users in those markets," Walmart said in a statement. CNBC earlier
reported on Walmart's role in the discussions.
"We believe a potential relationship with TikTok US in
partnership with Microsoft could add this key functionality and
provide Walmart with an important way for us to reach and serve
omnichannel customers as well as grow our third-party marketplace
and advertising businesses," Walmart said.
Walmart said a potential partnership with Microsoft would
address U.S. government concerns about TikTok. Walmart and
Microsoft are already partners on several technology projects, with
the retailer using Microsoft's cloud computing services, as they
seek a counterweight to Amazon.com Inc.
Write to Sarah Nassauer at sarah.nassauer@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 27, 2020 12:26 ET (16:26 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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