China Ends Tech Crackdown With Fines on Tencent, Ant Group
- Alibaba shares rally on prospect of end to Beijing probe
- Ant Group had to withdraw plans for largest-ever IPO
China imposed more than $1 billion in fines on tech giants Ant Group Co. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., signalling an end to a crackdown on the sector that had wiped out billions in market value and derailed the world’s biggest initial public offering.
The People’s Bank of China said financial regulators fined Ant 7.12 billion yuan ($984 million), wrapping up more than two years of probes into the finance technology firm founded by billionaire Jack Ma. Tencent was levied a 2.99 billion yuan fine, according to statements from the central bank Friday.