Alibaba eyes domestic market return, if conditions permit
Internet giant assessing how A-shares will be traded and if relevant securities laws were to allow foreign firms to be listed
Rumors are circulating that Chinese internet giant Alibaba is working on a plan to list on the A-share market. The company told The Paper that they will return to China as long as conditions permit and that idea has not changed since they went public in the U.S. in 2014.
It is reported that Alibaba is assessing how its shares will be traded on domestic stock exchanges, and, if relevant securities laws were to allow foreign companies to be listed, Alibaba could return to the domestic market as early as this summer.
Alibaba has adopted the VIE architecture, whereby most of its businesses and operations are in China, but the company is registered in the Cayman Islands.
Meanwhile, Chinese securities regulators are hoping to attract internet giants such as Alibaba back to the domestic market. Tencent, Baidu and JD.com are apparently also open to pursuing an A-share listing.