China banks hit back as Internet finance muscles into their business

Online companies in China are eating into the business of retail banks with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's money market fund, Yu'e Bao, having attracted 400 billion yuan (US$66bil) in assets under management, more than the customer deposits held by the five smallest listed Chinese banks. Similar online products from Baidu Inc and Tencent Holdings Ltd also contributed to a fall of one trillion yuan in traditional bank deposits in January - Reuters Photo.

SHANGHAI: China's brick-and-mortar banks are launching a counter-attack against the assault on their business from Alibaba and other Internet heavyweights, in a bid to staunch the outflow of bank deposits into high-yielding online investment products.

In less than eight months, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's money market fund, Yu'e Bao, has attracted 400 billion yuan (US$66bil) in assets under management, more than the customer deposits held by the five smallest listed Chinese banks.