Top of the Great Era

Chapter 3166 Common Goal
Boss Ma insisted: "Now the time is almost right. If we start now, it will probably take three or four months to complete the integration of Didi and Kuaidi. Baidu and LeTV have already invested their money, and it is unlikely that they will withdraw. The more than one billion US dollars they will invest in the online car-hailing market."

The online ride-hailing market is like a big plate.

No matter who invests the money, the scale of this big plate can be expanded.

The more hot money there is, the better it is for the industry.

According to Boss Ma’s analysis, it has basically reached its peak.

With Baidu investing $6 million and LeEco investing $7 million, there is basically no more hot money out there. Given the strength of Baidu and LeEco, it is really difficult to get them to invest more money. If the online car-hailing industry wants to be bigger, it can only rely on Alibaba and Ziweixing to continue to invest money.

This is no longer necessary.

Not affordable.

The most profitable option is for the two companies to merge, close the net in a timely manner, and then take over this big market that was built up by the joint efforts of all parties.

Zhou Buqi was a little worried. "I think we should wait a few more months until the momentum of Uber and Yidao slows down before we start. Now they have just received several hundred million dollars in financing, and their morale is high. They want to make a big move."

Boss Ma said with a smile: "What? Are you still afraid of them?"

"We're afraid of alerting the enemy." Zhou Buqi shook his head. "The online car-hailing business is not easy. After they get the money, they feel the limitations after a few months. If we take action when the situation is getting worse, they won't have the energy to fight back."

"Fight back?" Boss Ma snorted. "How can they fight back? Online ride-hailing is the payment gateway! What payment tools do they have? Alipay and WeChat Pay occupy 90% of the mobile payment market!"

"Ah."

"Alipay is backed by the e-commerce industry, and WeChat Pay is backed by mobile social networking. It is difficult for both to defeat each other in their respective fields. This means that Alipay and WeChat Pay will inevitably coexist for a long time. The online car-hailing industry is burning too much money. If it continues, it will not be good for both parties. It is better to stop immediately and share the traffic entrance of online car-hailing."

"Where's the penguin?"

Zhou Buqi felt that Boss Ma was now really ambitious and didn't care about anyone.

Boss Ma said nonchalantly: "Shudi's market share has already widened the gap with Didi and Kuaidi. QQ Pay's share is also far less than Alipay and WeChat Pay. Don't worry too much, their ending will be no different from that of Uber and Yidao."

Zhou Buqi glanced at him, "What if they cooperate?"

"what?"

Boss Ma was slightly stunned.

Zhou Buqi said: "If we push for the merger of Didi and Kuaidi now, it will send a clear signal of integration to the market. By then, Sudi, Yidao and Uber will all feel the cannibalization effect brought about by the integration of giants. In order to resist this cannibalization effect, the three parties are likely to join forces and integrate together."

Boss Ma nodded and said solemnly, "Yes, that's possible."

Zhou Buqi said: "If the three parties integrate, it will be quite troublesome. They are all very rich, and then... then our ecological layout may be affected. The competition between the two giants in the online car-hailing market is not a big deal. I am afraid that the other party will rely on the traffic entrance of online car-hailing to push up the market share of QQ Pay."

“The industry is in chaos now, with Alipay and WeChat Pay being the main payment tools. A more convenient payment tool can occupy a more advantageous position.” Boss Ma pondered and said, “Once the online car-hailing industry is integrated and two giants compete for supremacy, and Alipay and WeChat Pay stand on the same side, it will be easy to create opportunities for another payment tool.” Because of Zhou Buqi’s emergence, the current domestic online car-hailing industry is very different from the previous life.

It's not just one more competitor in the industry, but one more competitive ecosystem.

This will make industry competition more complicated.

There will be more possibilities for changes in the industry.

At this time in the previous life, Didi and Kuaidi had already begun to push for a merger, and then began to close the network to unify the online car-hailing market. But the current situation is different, and there are more variable and unstable factors.

Zhou Buqi said cautiously: "Like you said, QQ Pay has no hope now. Don't let our messing around give them another chance. Penguin might be waiting for us to make a mistake."

"Makes sense."

Boss Ma also realized the risks.

After Alibaba went public, his vision changed. He was no longer satisfied with Alibaba alone, but set his sights on various industries. Not only did he want to replace CEO Liu as the chairman of the Entrepreneurs Club and become the leader of the domestic entrepreneur group, he also always wanted to give advice on various industries.

The final word on the online ride-hailing industry is very attractive to him.

Zhou Buqi also saw it and said with a smile: "It's up to you how to do it. I'm just giving you a suggestion. I think it's best to wait. Now Yidao and Uber have received 600 million to 700 million US dollars. Such a large amount of money will have a great impact on the market. It's best not to alarm them and let them develop step by step and burn money to develop in the market. After a few months, they will have spent most of their money, and the three parties will have no money to cooperate again. As you said, it will be difficult for Baidu and LeTV to have the financial resources to follow up."

Boss Ma said: "Don't worry about Baidu. Baidu just announced that it has 400 billion in its account and will use 200 billion to develop Baidu Nuomi. This means that Baidu's investment in Uber will hardly have the follow-up financial resources. There is even less need to worry about LeEco, as it is even more difficult for them to raise funds."

Zhou Buqi analyzed: "So there is no need to rush, let them burn money. If we cause market changes now and make them panic, and then really push forward the merger of Yidao, Sudi, and Uber, the three forces combined can raise $20 billion. This strength is too strong and the threat is too strong."

"Then wait a little longer." Boss Ma approved of his idea and laughed, "You've thought it through very carefully! Tell me, do you have a more complete plan?"

Zhou Buqi said: "Baidu invested in Uber China."

"what?"

Boss Ma didn't understand what he meant.

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, "Uber China and Uber are two different companies. Uber China is a subsidiary of Uber, and Uber is only the major shareholder of Uber China."

Boss Ma was a little puzzled. "Why are you talking about this?"

Zhou Buqi said: "I don't have much influence on Uber China. Baidu may have more say. However, I invested in Uber when it was just starting out. I even have a seat on Uber's board of directors. When Uber loses confidence in the domestic market in the future, I can play a certain role at the most critical moment."

"Really?"

Boss Ma's eyes lit up.

Zhou Buqi said calmly: "Alipay is backed by e-commerce, and WeChat Pay is backed by social networking. Both parties have a monopoly in the industry and their own turf. As you said, it is difficult for each to defeat the other. Now our common interest is to prevent the emergence of a third large payment platform to compete with us for the market. Preventing QQ Pay from becoming bigger and stronger is the common goal of both parties."