It is true that both viewpoints have a basis, but the truth is more nuanced than simple coincidence.
On one hand, Alphabet's robust financial performance signals a healthy digital advertising market, encouraging all players such as TikTok to strengthen their expansion.
On the other hand, TikTok's decision is an autonomous strategic initiative, driven by its own growth and monetization objectives.
The intermediate path would be to say that Alphabet's performance creates a conducive environment, but is not the sine qua non condition for TikTok's choices; if TikTok were to face significant regulatory restrictions in the United States, such as a blockage by Congress, no success of Alphabet would prevent a reassessment of their plans.
A favorable market environment is a facilitating condition, not a unilateral determining factor.