✅ TikTok is already back online

✅ TikTok is already back online

• TikTok announced that it is back online in the United States, crediting President Trump's efforts and agreements with service providers for restoring access to over 170 million users.

• President Trump extended the timeline for the law's prohibitions to allow negotiations to protect national security, while also proposing a 50% U.S. ownership stake in a joint venture.

• Some Republican senators opposed the efforts to bypass the law, insisting that TikTok's return requires ByteDance to comply with divestiture requirements to sever ties with China.

🎥 Meta announces a new CapCut rival called Edits

• Meta is launching a new video-editing app called Edits, designed for mobile users, with features like higher-quality recordings, shareable drafts, and trending audio.

• The app is seen as a competitor to CapCut, but focuses more on creators with creative tools and insights into video performance, and is available for pre-order on iOS, with an Android version coming soon.

• The initial version of Edits will be released in February or March, with Meta's Adam Mosseri noting it will be incomplete but offering unique capabilities like AI video editing tools and watermark-free exports.

📱 X and Bluesky introduce vertical video feeds

• Bluesky and X have introduced new features that allow users to discover and watch vertical videos more easily, responding to TikTok's uncertain future in the US market.

• Bluesky launched customizable video feeds that enable users to swipe through videos and create feeds based on specific hashtags, providing a personalized video-watching experience.

• X has rolled out a "Video Tab" in the US, allowing users to explore a personalized feed of recommended videos across various categories like sports, entertainment, and news.

🔍 Perplexity AI plans $50 billion TikTok merger

• Perplexity, supported by Jeff Bezos, offered a proposal to merge with TikTok U.S., aiming to create a new entity with ByteDance and other investors, according to CNBC's sources.

• The merger plan, valued at over $50 billion, would allow ByteDance investors to keep their stakes while enhancing Perplexity's video capabilities.

• Speculation suggests Elon Musk's X might be a strong contender for a deal, especially after discussions about extending TikTok's deadline to finalize a U.S. partnership.

📈 Bitcoin surpasses $109,000 as market watches Trump

• Bitcoin reached a historic high above $109,000 on Monday, coinciding with Donald Trump's preparations for his inauguration as US president, amid expectations of cryptocurrency deregulation.

• The surge in Bitcoin's value followed Trump's election victory in November and his nomination of cryptocurrency supporter Paul Atkins to lead the US securities regulator, fostering hopes for sector deregulation.

• Despite previously criticizing cryptocurrencies, Trump became a prominent advocate during his campaign, even launching his own meme coin called $TRUMP, which quickly gained significant market value.