Bottom line: Alibaba's purchase of 33 percent of Ant Financial looks like a shrewd move for both firms, making Ant more attractive in the run-up to an IPO likely to be one of the world's biggest this year.

Alibaba and Ant back together

Bottom line: The collapse of Ant Financial's purchase of MoneyGram reflects growing resistance from a Trump administration willing to mix business and politics in its relationship with China.

Ant's purchase of MoneyGram sinks

Bottom line: Alipay's joint venture with Li Ka-shing targeting local Hong Kong customers looks like a shrewd approach in its first major foray of that kind, though it will face skepticism about its ability to protect user privacy.

Alipay turns up HK drive with new JV

After dancing around the globe for the last few years without too much to show for its efforts, Ant Financial's Alipay electronic payments unit is finally taking the plunge into local currency services with ...

Bottom line: Alibaba's move into unmanned coffee shops could stand a strong chance of success due to its relative simplicity, while WeChat's move into Hong Kong convenience stores should also be relatively well received.

Alibaba samples coffee shops

Bottom line: Ant Financial will counter bid for MoneyGram, following a surprise rival bid for the company, while Alibaba Pictures' absorption of the former Youku Tudou looks like a logical consolidation of Alibaba's filmed entertainment assets.

Ant's MoneyGram offer attracts rival bidder

Bottom line: This year is likely to see at least a half dozen privately owned financial services companies make public listings in the U.S., Hong Kong and China, with Lakala and Lufax likely to be among the first.

Lakala files for ChiNext IPO

We're already three months into the new year, and still awaiting the first of what looks set to be a bumper crop of IPOs by a new generation of privately owned financial services firms that are far more dynamic than their state-run ...

Bottom line: Meitu's new disclosure of rapid growth in its internet services revenue looks encouraging, as it takes advantage of its early arrival status in a beauty products sector with big profit potential. 

Meitu makes over image with internet revenue growth

A month after its lackluster IPO, beauty app operator Meitu (HKEx: 1357) is trying to shore up its sagging stock by releasing some financial data that proves it's more than just a place for people to doll up selfi...

Bottom line: Starbucks' selection of WeChat before Alipay for in-store electronic payments is a symbolic victory for the former, while Alipay's aggressive global expansion could eventually help it to overtake UnionPay outside China.

WeChat ties with Starbucks

China's two leading mobile payments services are both in the headlines, led by word of a major new tie-up between Tencent's (HKEx: 700) WeChat and coffee lifestyle titan Starbucks (NYSE: SBUX). I have to admit that ...