# platform economy
Latest news and articles about platform economy
Total: 6 articles found
Why China’s Takeaway Prices Are Rising Even as Platforms Subsidise Orders
China’s food‑delivery subsidy war is squeezing restaurant margins: platforms run aggressive promotions to retain users while shifting costs onto merchants through fees, required discounts and business‑manager interventions. The dynamic is forcing many eateries to raise prices or opt out of promotions, prompting regulatory scrutiny and raising questions about the sustainability of current platform strategies.
Trip.com’s Windfall and the Hotel Squeeze: Stellar Profits Meet Antitrust Heat
Trip.com reported strong 2025 results with revenue of 624 billion yuan and net profit of 334 billion yuan, buoyed by a large one‑off investment gain. The company’s persistently high margins have strained upstream hotels and homestays, prompting an antitrust investigation and boardroom departures. Regulators are signalling a push to rebalance profits across the travel ecosystem, creating an uncertain outlook for Trip.com’s margin sustainability.
China’s Market Watchdog Summons Seven Tech Giants to Curb ‘Involution’ in Platform Promotions
China’s market regulator summoned seven leading platforms to demand stricter compliance with competition, pricing and consumer protection laws and to curb “involution” — cutthroat promotional tactics that distort markets. The meeting signals intensified oversight of everyday platform marketing as Beijing seeks to stabilise the platform economy while preserving innovation.
Regulators Target Gaode’s Ride‑hailing Aggregator — China’s on‑demand transport market faces a reset
Chinese regulators summoned Gaode Dache on 9 February 2026, criticising partner management, fare suppression and emergency response. The confrontation exposes structural weaknesses of the aggregation model and signals a regulatory pivot toward pre‑emptive ecosystem governance that will raise costs and reshape ride‑hailing economics.
Why Selling Spring Couplets Turned a TV-Host-Turned-Streamer Into a Target: The Politics of China’s Live‑commerce Shake‑up
A minor livestream sale of inexpensive spring couplets by popular host Dong Yuhui ignited disproportionate criticism framed as cultural and social harm. The episode exposes a deeper conflict between entrenched distribution interests and a rising class of livestream anchors whose factory‑to‑consumer model lowers prices and challenges incumbents' margins.
China Opens Antitrust Case Against Ctrip as Hoteliers Say Platforms Have Become Their Employers
China’s antitrust regulator has opened a probe into Ctrip for alleged abuse of market dominance after hoteliers complained of hidden fees, forced channel exclusivity and unfair algorithmic practices. The investigation could lead to fines, behavioural remedies and reshape how online travel platforms manage supply and traffic allocation.