TikTok has denied claims of selling its US operations to Elon Musk, calling it "pure fiction." Reports suggested Beijing officials might consider Musk as a buyer if ByteDance fails to prevent a ban by January 19. With over 170 million US users, TikTok faces pressure to sell its US stake under a new law. Bloomberg hinted at Musk's X (formerly Twitter) merging with TikTok to boost ad revenue. However, legal, technological, and political hurdles remain. President-elect Trump seeks a resolution to balance national security with users' rights before taking office on January 20.