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White House Weighs Forcing Tencent to Shed U.S. Gaming Stakes

Officials are focused on data-security risks from Tencent’s access to information on American players through its gaming portfolio.

Overview

  • Financial Times reporting, echoed by Reuters, says senior officials are debating whether to compel Tencent to divest investments in U.S.-linked game companies.
  • A planned cabinet-level meeting to discuss the issue was postponed this week because of scheduling conflicts.
  • Concerns center on potential access to U.S. user data through holdings that include full ownership of Riot Games and a roughly 28% stake in Epic Games, plus a majority stake in Finland-based Supercell with a large American player base.
  • The review has been under CFIUS for years with agencies split over remedies, and the Pentagon designated Tencent as linked to China’s military in 2025.
  • Tencent shares fell after the report, and officials have not announced a decision or clarified the legal pathway as President Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping in April.