Jack Ma’s multinational tech conglomerate is officially under scrutiny over alleged monopolistic business practices, specifically a requirement that its e-commerce merchants sell exclusively on Alibaba and bypass rival online platforms like JD.com. (South China Morning Post)

Talking point: The probe by the State Administration of Market Regulation, China’s antitrust watchdog agency, comes just seven weeks after regulators abruptly halted a US$37-billion IPO listing by Ma’s Ant Group, which operates the popular Alipay e-wallet. Separately, Ant Group received a meeting notice from regulators on the same day that the Alibaba probe began—regulators are expected to urge Ant to implement certain financial regulations. The dual enforcement actions signify just how strong Beijing’s resolve is to contain the power of China’s technology giants, amidst rising inequality and an increasingly hostile public perception of Ma’s wealth. Ma has not made a public appearance since he criticized regulators in an October 24 speech for stifling the country’s innovation economy. Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly personally requested that Ant’s IPO be shut down.