Alibaba Group is a family of Internet-based businesses which makes it easy for anyone to buy or sell online anywhere in the world. Since its inception, it has developed leading businesses in consumer e-commerce, online payment, business-to-business marketplaces and cloud computing, reaching Internet users in more than 240 countries and regions. Alibaba Group consists of 25 business units and is focused on fostering the development of an open, collaborative and prosperous e-commerce ecosystem.

Alibaba Group was founded in 1999 by 18 people led by Jack Ma, a former English teacher from Hangzhou, China who has aspired to help make the Internet accessible, trustworthy and beneficial for everyone. The privately held Alibaba Group, including its affiliated entities, employs more than 24,000 people in some 70 cities in Greater China, India, Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.