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Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing enters financial services amid profit push

  • The company’s new offering includes credit and lending, wealth management and auto-financing services

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Didi Chuxing, China’s largest ride-hailing platform operator, has launched nationwide financial services through its smartphone app. Photo: SCMP
Sarah Daiin Beijing

Didi Chuxing, China’s largest ride-hailing platform operator, has launched nationwide financial services through its smartphone app, as the Beijing-based start-up looks to boost its profitability after years of losses.

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The new offering, which Didi introduced on Wednesday, includes mutual protection and crowdfunding products for critical illnesses, credit and lending, wealth management and auto-financing services.

The launch comes after Didi conducted trials of its in-app financial services in 10 cities, including Chongqing, Zhengzhou and Foshan. The company, which has an estimated 550 million users across the mainland, established a financial services unit early last year.

Didi’s foray into financial services is part of its effort to build a “more connected ecosystem” with reliable and competitive services, according to a company spokesman in response to an inquiry on Wednesday.

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Its strategy reflects how China’s large internet players are building platforms that can host multiple services, delivering greater convenience to consumers in a country that has the world’s largest smartphone market and biggest online population.

“The main goal [for Didi] is to increase profitability, as the company has failed to record a profit in the six years since it was founded,” said Sun Naiyue, an analyst at internet consultancy Analysys International. “Didi has advantages in traffic and risk analyses because it possesses massive data on drivers as well users, who are affluent and represent a quality segment of consumers for new insurance and wealth management products.”

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