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Hello reader,
I was never able to speak Mandarin well. Back in school, I remember questioning why it was important for me to learn the language. One of the most common responses I got was that as China becomes a global business giant, just speaking English alone won’t cut it.
For today’s story, we see just how big of a powerhouse it’s become through the lens of the country’s largest exits. It’s an impressive list, to say the least. From giants in ecommerce to fintech companies, the amount of money involved in these exits could make anyone’s eyes water.
Today we look at,
- 20 Chinese companies that got the biggest payouts from their exits
- An India-based logistics company getting more fuel in the tank
- Other newsy highlights such as Binance’s possible move in Indonesia and T11’s US$100 million round led by Alibaba.
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In the midst of the Middle Kingdom
Image credit: Timmy Loen
To me, one of the most fascinating things about China is how the country’s businesses have effectively created their own ecosystem for everything from social media to streaming. For every Western company, there always seems to be a Chinese counterpart to serve the country’s users. Many of the companies on this list are responsible for providing these ecosystems.
- Who else…: Number one on the list is none other than Alibaba Group, following its US$21.8 billion IPO in 2014. This figure is more than the combined total value of exits for the next six companies on our list. It’s not the only time Alibaba makes an appearance either – its acquisition of mobile browser company UCWeb for US$1.9 billion places the latter at the number nine spot.
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Youku and chill: Video-streaming companies make three appearances in our top 10: Youku, Kuaishou, and iQiyi. Combined, these companies’ exits have netted them a juicy US$9.5 billion, a testament to the strength of the video-streaming market in the country.
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No victory too small: Rounding off our list is Qudian, an installment payment and investment management platform that was founded in 2014. Even though it comes in at 20th place, it still made US$900 million from its IPO in 2017.
Read more: 20 largest exits in China
Startup spotlight
To infinity and beyond
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