Taobao announced a 11 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) investment in its livestreaming unit, Taobao Live, for 2025 as it doubles down on higher-quality content and transaction growth.

The move is part of Taobao Live’s ambition to double its gross merchandise volume and user base by 2027. The company said it will focus on three areas: expanding user acquisition, strengthening curated product offerings, and providing greater support for professional streamers.

“2025 will be a year of consistent investment in user growth, premium product operations, and professional talent development,” said Meng Xin, general manager of Taobao Live.

In 2024, the platform surpassed 200 million annual active buyers. Transactions from top streamers rose 31% year-on-year, while merchant-run livestream sales jumped 36%, highlighting the stability of its quality-driven model.

Analysts note that Alibaba’s ecosystem already has more than 1 billion active buyers, but livestreaming penetration remains relatively low. This gives Taobao Live significant room to scale, especially as competition intensifies among ecommerce platforms vying for attention through live video.