Alexei Hamblin, a self-taught designer and content creator, began posting a video series in 2025, imagining how he would revive “dead” sports brands he found inside Sports Direct stores. In his clips, he openly described some items as “boring” and “tacky PE kit.”

Instead of backlash, he caught the attention of Frasers Group, the owner of Sports Direct. The company invited him to present his ideas in person. What began as criticism on social media turned into a consulting role. Hamblin is now helping reinvent Slazenger, one of Britain’s oldest sportswear names.

Reviving a Heritage Brand

Founded in 1881, Slazenger became a major name in tennis and golf and was appointed official ball supplier to Wimbledon in 1902. Hamblin says the brand has a strong history but a weak connection with Gen Z consumers who do not understand what it stands for today.

His solution is a “premium sportswear-inspired fashion” sub-line launching this spring.

He insists the goal is not to remove affordability. The new premium range will sit alongside the traditional lower-priced items.

“I wouldn’t want to take away the everyman, working-class accessibility of the brand,” he says.

Instead, he wants to give Slazenger a modern identity while keeping its heritage visible.

From Bedroom Designer to Boardroom

Hamblin never attended fashion school. He taught himself digital tools like Photoshop and started sharing design concepts online. He later freelanced for clothing brands and launched his own label in 2021.

He believes his age played a role in landing the opportunity.

“I am Gen Z. I know how we consume. I know what we like and what we do not like.”

He argues that many boardrooms lack this generational insight.

Are Creators Replacing Traditional Gatekeepers?

Fashion journalist Renee Washington says content creators now have a “big impact” on the industry.

“You do not need to sit front row at Fashion Week anymore,” she explains. Social media allows creators to shape taste from their bedrooms.

She says trends that once took an entire season to develop now evolve in 48 hours.

However, she adds that creators cannot fully replace legacy institutions. Traditional fashion platforms still hold authority built on credibility, consistency and history.

She also warns that brand revamps only succeed if they feel authentic. One TikTok series alone cannot permanently change a brand.

The Fast Fashion Dilemma

The speed of social media has accelerated trend cycles. That creates another problem. Tens of millions of clothing items are discarded each year. Many fast fashion pieces use synthetic fabrics that are difficult to recycle. Environmental damage and labor concerns remain unresolved.

Hamblin admits that social media may have accelerated trends too quickly, contributing to overconsumption. Still, he believes platforms like TikTok are hugely valuable for young creatives trying to gain visibility.

He has documented the Slazenger redesign process publicly, sharing sketches, mock-ups and feedback discussions with followers. This transparency has helped build a new audience around the brand.

A Shift in How Talent Is Discovered

Hamblin’s journey raises a bigger question.

Are traditional CVs becoming less important than public creative portfolios on social media?

Brands are clearly watching TikTok not just for marketing trends, but for new talent.

What started as public criticism evolved into collaboration. For legacy brands searching for relevance, TikTok may be less a threat and more a testing ground for reinvention.

Related: Will the US TikTok deal make it safer but less relevant?

The post Is TikTok the new frontier for fashion reinvention? first appeared on Finblog.

Under the agreement, TikTok’s powerful For You Page algorithm will be licensed and operated in the US by Oracle, using American user data. This marks a shift away from TikTok’s current system, which relies on global data flows and rapidly changing feedback loops.

According to social media analyst Matt Navarra, the platform may become safer and more stable, but potentially at the cost of cultural impact. He argues that TikTok’s appeal has long come from its unpredictable, experimental, and sometimes politically sharp content. Narrowing the data pool and tightening oversight could make the app feel more controlled, and possibly less influential.

Tech experts say core features like short form video, shopping tools, and creator formats are unlikely to change. However, a US only version of the algorithm could be slower to adapt to trends and less precise in personalization compared with the global system.

There are also questions about innovation. If the US version does not receive new features and updates at the same pace as TikTok’s international platform, differences between versions could gradually widen.

With Oracle, Abu Dhabi based investment fund MGX, and private equity firm Silver Lake involved, investor priorities may also shape how the platform evolves. Some analysts believe this could push TikTok toward a more cautious and commercially focused model.

For users, the question is not whether TikTok will continue to exist in the US, but what kind of TikTok it becomes. The platform may remain popular, but its future relevance could depend on whether it still feels like a place to experiment, or one designed mainly to behave.

The post Will the US TikTok deal make it safer but less relevant? first appeared on Finblog.

Users can create up to 10-second videos, with options to like, comment, and remix.

There’s no facility to upload your own videos or images—everything is generated by the app.

The app verifies users’ identities so their likeness can be used or tagged in AI clips; users are notified even if the clip stays in draft form.

OpenAI says the app was launched internally, with strong internal reception.

The company declined to comment publicly.

This app could shift how people experience AI content—moving from text and chat to video-first interactions. It also amps up competition with Meta and Google, which are unveiling their own AI video features.

Related: OpenAI Lets Users Buy Stuff Directly Through ChatGPT

The post OpenAI Plans a TikTok-Style App for AI-Generated Videos first appeared on Finblog.

Who owns what (as outlined so far):

US investor bloc (~45% combined): Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX will be the lead investors.

ByteDance: <20% stake in the US JV to meet national-security requirements.

Other holders (~35%): A mix of existing ByteDance investors and new US/global investors.

Board control: 6 of 7 seats to Americans.

Trump also name-checked Larry Ellison, Rupert & Lachlan Murdoch, and Michael Dell as participants; additional names may surface as documents finalize.

Security & the algorithm:

Oracle remains the security and cloud provider (“top-to-bottom security”) for the US entity—auditing software updates, data flows, and the recommendation engine.

The US TikTok will use a copy of the algorithm, inspected in the US and retrained on US user data. Oracle’s role is to inspect and monitor, not rewrite the code.

US users are not expected to download a new app; the transition is meant to be seamless.

What still needs to happen:

China’s approval (export license for algorithm/IP) is still required. Trump says President Xi has signaled support; Beijing has been more cautious publicly.

Corporate plumbing: final ownership percentages, governance docs, and license terms need to be papered.

Hill reaction: Some in Congress may question whether any ByteDance equity or algorithm licensing truly satisfies the 2024 law’s intent. Expect oversight pressure.

Why the $14B number raised eyebrows:

• TikTok US reportedly generates >$10B in annual revenue and has ~170M US users.
• A $14B tag implies ~1.4x sales—more like mature industrials than top-tier social platforms (Meta/YouTube trade closer to high-single to ~10x sales).
• ByteDance investors may push for a higher figure as terms firm up.

What it means for US users & creators:

The app should stay live in the US. Content access is intended to remain broad (global videos visible), but engineers must “wall off” US data while the algorithm is US-audited and retrained—a non-trivial technical lift.

Creators and small businesses avoid an immediate disruption, though some content or recommendation behaviour could evolve during the retrain period.

Winners & question marks:

Oracle (ORCL): Solidifies a multi-year cloud + security contract, plus potential board influence—a strategic win.

Silver Lake/MGX & co-investors: Access to a top-engagement asset at a possibly discounted entry price.

ByteDance: Keeps a minority foothold and licensing economics, but cedes control and faces political risk if approvals wobble.

Policy risk: If Congress decides the JV still leaves room for Chinese influence, expect hearings or additional guardrails.

Timing: The order extends non-enforcement of the ban deadline to allow the JV to close (target window ~120 days). Trump and Xi are expected to revisit the deal’s progress at upcoming bilateral touchpoints.

The White House has put a concrete ownership and security structure on the table: American-controlled board, Oracle-run security, ByteDance under 20%, algorithm cloned, inspected, and retrained in the US If Beijing signs off and Congress is satisfied, TikTok stays—and Oracle emerges as a key infrastructure gatekeeper. The $14B sticker is the wild card: if it holds, buyers get a bargain; if ByteDance pushes back, expect price/terms to move before the ink dries.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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The post Trump Signs Order to Green-Light TikTok Deal — Who Will Own It and How It Will Work first appeared on Finblog.

The White House says the new joint venture will be controlled by American investors, led by Oracle, Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, with ByteDance reduced to less than 20% ownership. Six of the seven board seats will be held by Americans, and Oracle will serve as TikTok’s official security provider.

But experts warn the details raise more questions than answers:

• Corporate control: ByteDance will still keep a stake and a licensing deal for TikTok’s algorithm, leaving open how independent the U.S. entity really is.
• Technical hurdles: The U.S. app will rely on a copy of TikTok’s algorithm, “retrained” on U.S. data, but Oracle won’t be allowed to rewrite it — only inspect and monitor its behaviour.
• Congressional skepticism: Lawmakers who passed the 2024 law forcing TikTok’s sale worry this deal may not fully comply, since ByteDance still retains influence. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) said the agreement could “allow continued Chinese control or influence.”
• China’s approval: Beijing still needs to sign off, making the deal another bargaining chip in U.S.-China trade talks.

Analysts also note that US users are unlikely to notice big changes day-to-day, since both the U.S. and global TikTok apps will continue running in parallel. Still, critics argue that without full algorithm control, data separation remains shaky.

Trump may soon declare TikTok “under American control,” but the fine print tells a more complicated story. Oracle gains a critical role as gatekeeper, but questions over real security, Chinese influence, and political approval mean this fight is far from over.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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The post ‘Security from What?’: Big Questions Loom Over Trump’s TikTok Deal first appeared on Finblog.

A White House official said earlier this week that ByteDance will retain less than 20%, while the remaining 35% will be split among existing and global investors. The structure marks one of the most significant U.S.–China trade-related divestitures in recent years.

For Oracle, the deal could serve as both a strategic and symbolic win. The company is set to provide data security for TikTok’s U.S. operations, potentially boosting its credibility in the crowded cloud space. But markets reacted cautiously: ORCL shares fell nearly 6% Thursday as analysts questioned whether recent AI and cloud valuations have become overhyped.

The deal is still unfolding, and details on revenue-sharing and regulatory oversight remain under wraps. Yet for Washington and Wall Street alike, TikTok’s U.S. future is now taking a more concrete shape.

Related: Oracle AI Cloud Hype Faces Its First Big Test

Trump to sign TikTok deal Thursday

The post Oracle, Silver Lake, MGX to Take 45% Stake in TikTok first appeared on Finblog.

The Deal

According to White House officials, TikTok’s US operations will be spun into a new joint venture based in the United States. Under the agreement:

• Oracle and Silver Lake will lead a group of American investors, together owning about 80% of the new entity.
• ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, will see its stake reduced to less than 20%.
• Oracle will remain the app’s data and security provider, ensuring U.S. user information stays under American oversight.

Board and Algorithm

The new company will be governed by a seven-member board, with ByteDance allowed only one seat. Control of TikTok’s powerful recommendation algorithm was a key sticking point in negotiations. The final deal requires ByteDance to license the algorithm to the U.S.-based entity, effectively removing Beijing’s ability to influence the app’s content distribution.

Why It Matters

The agreement marks the end of years of uncertainty over TikTok’s future in the United States. Trump had repeatedly threatened to ban the app unless Chinese ownership was cut back. By securing majority U.S. control, the administration aims to protect American data while preserving TikTok’s availability for millions of users.

For Oracle, the deal represents a major strategic victory. Already a key infrastructure provider for TikTok, Oracle now cements its role at the center of U.S. tech security and data oversight. Shares of the company could see momentum as investors welcome its deeper involvement in one of the world’s most widely used apps.

The Bigger Picture

The TikTok deal underscores Washington’s tougher stance on Chinese tech. Trump’s administration has already pursued equity stakes in U.S. chipmakers, rare-earth suppliers, and lithium projects deemed critical to national security. By pushing ByteDance out of controlling power, the U.S. is sending another clear signal: Chinese ownership of strategic technology platforms will face heavy scrutiny.

With Trump’s signature expected Thursday, TikTok’s U.S. future looks secure, but on American terms. The deal balances user access with national security, reshaping the app’s global governance and setting a precedent for how Washington handles foreign ownership of tech platforms.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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The post Trump to sign TikTok deal Thursday first appeared on Finblog.

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Wednesday that Instagram has grown to 3 billion monthly active users, a sharp jump from the last disclosed figure of 2 billion in October 2022.
• “What an incredible community we’ve built here,” Zuckerberg wrote on his Instagram channel, celebrating the milestone.
• The achievement puts Instagram in the same league as Facebook and WhatsApp, both of which crossed the 3-billion-user mark earlier this year.

Growth Story: Meta acquired Instagram in 2012 for just $1 billion—a deal that raised eyebrows at the time. Since then, the app has exploded, becoming a major pillar of Meta’s business and a powerhouse in digital advertising. Some estimates suggest Instagram will generate more than half of Meta’s US ad revenue this year.

Why Instagram Grew: One of the biggest drivers has been Reels, launched in 2020 to counter TikTok. Short-form video has become the battleground of attention, and Instagram’s ability to capture both creators and advertisers has helped it hold off rivals like TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

Competitive Context

• TikTok: ~1 billion monthly active users.
• YouTube Shorts: integrated within YouTube’s 2.7 billion users.
• Instagram: now the clear global leader in the short-form space by raw reach.

Meta shares edged higher on the news, with investors taking the milestone as another sign that Zuckerberg’s bet on video and AI-driven engagement is paying off. Analysts note that sustained growth on Instagram strengthens Meta’s pricing power in digital advertising and reinforces its dominance in the social media economy.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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What’s in the Deal (According to the White House)

Board control: The U.S. version of TikTok will have a seven-member board, with six seats held by Americans and one by China’s ByteDance.

Algorithm control & oversight: The recommendation algorithm (“what users see”) will be controlled by American stakeholders.Oracle is expected to handle U.S. data and security infrastructure.

Ownership structure: A U.S. investor consortium (including Oracle, Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz and possibly others like Murdoch/Dell) is set to acquire the majority (~80%) stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations. ByteDance is expected to retain less than 20%.

Legal & legislative backdrop: The move follows a law passed in 2024 that would ban apps deemed foreign adversary-controlled if they don’t divest or comply by a deadline. The deadline has been extended multiple times to allow this deal to be negotiated.

What Is Still Unclear & China’s Position

China has not yet publicly confirmed that it has agreed to all details, especially around algorithm control or how much influence ByteDance will retain.

Details on how the algorithm licensing or tech transfer will work are still vague. Will Oracle fully host the algorithm? Will ByteDance continue to play a role in modifications or updates behind the scenes? Experts warn that control without transparency could still leave loopholes.

Short-Term Impacts

TikTok stays online in the U.S., avoiding a ban. This is a huge win for influencers, advertisers, and users who depend on the platform.

Tech & ad sectors rally, especially companies aligned to the consortium (Oracle, etc.), as regulatory risk around TikTok looks to be subsiding somewhat.

Legal and political scrutiny will continue. Congress and courts will likely demand transparency regarding data flows, algorithm safety, and influence.

Long-Term Implications

• Precedent for foreign tech apps: This deal could set a standard for how foreign-owned apps with large U.S. user bases are regulated—especially around algorithmic control, data location, and board composition.
• U.S. data & algorithmic sovereignty: If implemented fully, this could shift some balance in how data/control flows between nations. Could lead to more “split versions” of global apps: different rules for U.S. vs international users.
• Influence & business models: Whoever controls the algorithm controls content prioritization, engagement, advertising revenue models. Majority ownership means more leverage in policy, censorship, moderation issues.
• Global tech policy & trade tension: This deal is another flash point in U.S.-China tech cold tensions. It may encourage more bilateral negotiation or pressure for regulations in other countries too.

If this deal sticks, TikTok will remain in the US, but transformed. Majority U.S. control over the board and algorithm plus a reshaped ownership structure aim to address national security concerns. But with key pieces still in flux, full implementation will be just as crucial as the agreement itself.

Markets should watch for announcements in coming days, confirmation from China, names of final investors, details on algorithm licensing, and legislative oversight.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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The post US & China Near Deal to Keep TikTok Online — US will control TikTok’s algorithm first appeared on Finblog.

But their plan unraveled when the trader — who has built a modest TikTok following of 40,000 — showed them his account balance and explained he couldn’t pay. After verifying he was effectively broke, the kidnappers released him unharmed on Saturday.

French police on high alert

The case is now being handled by France’s Organized and Specialized Crime Division, which has issued the trader six days of official work incapacity leave due to the incident.

It’s part of a troubling trend. France has experienced a surge in crypto-linked abductions in recent months — often targeting entrepreneurs or their families.

On May 13, the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of French crypto exchange Paymium, were nearly kidnapped.
On May 3, police freed the father of another crypto entrepreneur, who had been held for days and had a finger severed during a €7 million ransom attempt.

Network of kidnappers uncovered

The French prosecutor’s office has taken aggressive action. On May 31, 25 suspects were charged in connection to multiple coordinated plots targeting crypto figures. One week later, on June 4, a suspected ringleader was arrested in Morocco.

Law enforcement sources suggest the attacks are being driven by criminal networks exploiting social media visibility.

Crypto may be decentralized — but criminals are watching TikTok. In France, a wave of real-world violence is colliding with digital assets, forcing both users and regulators to take new precautions.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

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The post TikTok crypto trader was released after kidnappers realized he’s broke first appeared on Finblog.