On 25/2, Reuters, citing close sources, reported that investment firm General Atlantic began selling off shares in recent weeks, expecting to complete the process in march. This marks the highest valuation for the Chinese tech giant in the secondary market to date. In 11/2025, the company's valuation reached approximately 480 billion USD.

General Atlantic first invested in ByteDance in 2017, when the company was valued at approximately 20 billion USD. General Atlantic has not disclosed the financial terms and its ownership stake in ByteDance after the transaction. General Atlantic CEO Bill Ford is also currently a member of ByteDance's board of directors.

ByteDance's booth at an exhibition in Beijing in 2/2022. Photo: Reuters

ByteDance's booth at an exhibition in Beijing in 2/2022. Photo: Reuters

This is the first sale since the short-video application TikTok finalized an agreement to establish a US-majority-owned joint venture to continue operating in the country. The joint venture, headquartered in the US, operates as an independent entity, governed by a board of directors comprising 7 members, most of whom are American.

The transaction also indicates a strong and sustained increase in ByteDance's market valuation. This further strengthens the outlook for other investors, who are expected to benefit significantly when the company conducts its initial public offering (IPO).

The valuation of an unlisted company can fluctuate significantly in the secondary market. However, each new transaction tests investor interest in the company's shares. ByteDance's market value is difficult to determine because its shares are privately held, and secondary market transaction terms are not publicly disclosed.

In Quarter I/2025, ByteDance surpassed Meta, becoming the world's largest social media company by revenue, with over 43 billion USD. The profit of this Chinese company last year could reach approximately 48 billion USD.

By Ha Thu (Reuters)