US-based global investment giant, General Atlantic, has valued the popular social media platform, TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, at $550 billion as the company is now looking to sell equity stake owned in the Chinese firm, reported the news agency Reuters, citing people aware of the development.
General Atlantic’s stake sale of ByteDance marks the first divestment move since the US President Donald Trump’s administration cleared the Chinese company’s sale of US ventures in January 2026.
This valuation reportedly marks a 66% rise in the company’s value since last year’s buyback move, which priced the Chinese entertainment giant at more than $330 billion, as per the news agency.
According to the agency report, General Atlantic‘s valuation of Bydance also represented a 15% increase from the secondary market deal, which refers to the sale of shares in an unlisted company by existing shareholders to another investor.
This transaction was carried out in November 2025, valuing ByteDance at $480 billion, the people aware of the development told the news agency.
When is the deal expected to close?
General Atlantic’s stake sale in ByteDance is expected to be closed in March 2026. The company, which invested in the company back in 2017 at a $20 billion valuation, started selling the company shares in recent weeks.
Apart from the stake sales announcement, the details of the financial deal, like how much stake General Atlantic will own in the Chinese social media company after the transaction, were not disclosed.
The agency report suggested that the stake sale transaction underscores a sharp and sustained rise in the private market valuation of ByteDance, and boosts the prospects for its other investors who are expected to enjoy a windfall when the company eventually makes its public market debut.
ByteDance’s market value
The news report explained how the valuation of an unlisted company can vary widely in secondary market transactions, but any such new trade is seen as a test of investor appetite for the company’s shares.
Chinese company ByteDance’s market value is opaque since the shares of the company are privately held and the terms of the deal are not publicly disclosed.
According to the agency report, General Atlantic valuing ByteDance at $550 billion is sensible for the company to expect no less than their planned secondary trade.
The proposed sale comes after ByteDance’s deal to make TikTok’s US operations majority American-owned and resolve uncertainties that have plagued both companies since Donald Trump threatened to ban the app over national security concerns.
ByteDance has emerged as the world’s largest social media firm in terms of sales, surpassing big tech giants like Meta Platforms. The stake sale also comes as some of its funds approach the end of their lifecycle