Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian joins TikTok bid: Can he bring social media on-chain?

• Alexis Ohanian joins Project Liberty to transition TikTok U.S. to blockchain-based infrastructure.
• TikTok’s blockchain shift could drive Web3 adoption and reshape social media ownership.

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has joined Project Liberty’s bid to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations.

The plan aims to transition TikTok to a blockchain-based infrastructure, emphasizing the future of decentralized social media.

Reuters first reported Ohanian’s involvement on the 3rd of March, highlighting his strategic role in shaping this innovative initiative.

Project Liberty confirms Ohanian’s participation

Project Liberty founder Frank McCourt confirmed Ohanian’s participation, emphasizing his expertise in social platforms as a key asset to the initiative.

In a conversation with Reuters, McCourt said, 

“He has that broad portfolio of experience… of where social media was and, I think, a keen understanding of where it’s evolving,” 

Alexis Ohanian expresses excitement

Ohanian took to X (formerly Twitter) to further confirm the news. He emphasized that creators should have control over their audience, while users retain ownership of their data.

Source: Alexis Ohanian/X

He added,

Source: Alexis Ohanian/X

McCourt is spearheading an initiative to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, aiming to prioritize user control over digital identities and data.

Key to this vision is “Frequency,” a decentralized social network protocol built on Polkadot’s [DOT] infrastructure.

It empowers users with full ownership of their data while fostering a transparent, user-centric social media experience.

Remarking on the same, Ohanian added, 

“Frequency will empower these principles to become reality. And with transparency and accountability at the core, this new TikTok won’t just be fairer — it’ll be GREATER.”

Well, Ohanian’s deep involvement in blockchain ventures through his firm, Seven Seven Six, underscores his commitment to decentralized innovation, having backed projects like Yuga Labs, Doodles, and Sorare.

Current status of TikTok

TikTok’s uncertain U.S. future remains a key geopolitical issue, with the Trump administration firmly opposing its parent company, ByteDance.

After a temporary ban in early 2025, TikTok resumed operations, requiring its U.S. division to be sold to an American entity.

High-profile figures like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos-backed investment groups have shown interest, but the bidding continues.

Meanwhile, TikTok-related memecoins, such as Just A Chill Guy [CHILLGUY] and Huzz Coin [HUZZ], experienced significant market fluctuations.

These fluctuations highlight the speculative nature of digital assets connected to social media platforms amid TikTok’s ongoing uncertainty.

What’s next?

However, if successful, TikTok’s transition to blockchain would mark a historic shift, making it the first major social media platform to operate on decentralized infrastructure.

This move could accelerate the evolution from Web2 to Web3, reshaping how digital platforms handle user data and ownership.

In fact, with TikTok’s U.S. user base reaching approximately 170 million in 2024, the impact of such a transformation would be significant.