BEIJING (Reuters) – Alibaba Group Holding Ltd Executive Chairman Jack Ma “very much hopes” that the e-commerce firm’s affiliate Ant Financial Services Group will list in Hong Kong, a spokeswoman for the online finance company quoted him as saying.
Ma, who is Ant’s controlling shareholder, made the comments at an event in Macau on Monday.
A listing for Ant has been long expected. But the spokeswoman said that the company does not have a timeline or venue set.
The company, which includes online payment service Alipay – its crown jewel – is valued at close to $60 billion, a person familiar with its latest fundraising round said in April.
Ant and Alibaba executives have given mixed signals on a potential venue, mentioning a listing on a mainland stock exchange, going public in Hong Kong, or pursuing a dual-listing domestically and offshore.
Ma’s comments were first reported by Ming Pao, a Hong Kong newspaper.
(Reporting by Paul Carsten; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
