Once surged over 82%, Ant Group acquired Yao Cai Securities, Ali ecosystem obtains broker license for the first time, unrealized gains reached maximum HK$11.7 billion, Hong Kong version of East Wealth is emerging!

NightAirdropper · 2026-03-18T07:27:19+00:00

Ant Group's acquisition of Yao Cai Securities has made progress, with completion of the transaction expected by March 30. This will help Ant achieve a closed loop of "payment-wealth management-securities" businesses, driving consecutive stock price gains with a maximum surge exceeding 144%. The transaction will enhance Ant's competitiveness in the Hong Kong market, with Yao Cai Securities gaining market share through low commission rates.

NightAirdropper

2026-03-18 07:27:19

Abstract generation in progress

Once the stock price surged over 82%, a major development occurred in Ant Group’s acquisition of Yau Tai Securities, signaling the emergence of a Hong Kong version of Oriental Fortune!

On the evening of March 16, Yau Tai Securities Financial announced that the tender offer initiated by Ant Group has been approved by relevant authorities, and the transaction is expected to be completed by March 30. Yau Tai Securities Financial stated that all conditions for the deal have been met as part of Ant Group’s acquisition. This means Alibaba’s Ant Group has successfully obtained a Hong Kong brokerage license, completing the “payment - wealth management - securities” business loop. With the support of the brokerage license and Alipay, a “Hong Kong version of Oriental Fortune” is on the horizon.

Stimulated by this news, Yau Tai Securities opened over 70% higher, then surged more than 82%, reaching a high of HKD 16.88 per share. Currently, Yau Tai Securities’ trading volume has exceeded HKD 7.3 billion, setting a new record for daily trading value.

Notably, Yau Tai Securities announced a trading halt for the entire day on March 16. Just before the halt, on the last trading day, perceptive investors moved early, and on March 13, Yau Tai Securities experienced a strange surge. The stock price climbed from HKD 6.95 per share to nearly HKD 10, with a maximum increase of over 43%. The total trading volume on that day reached HKD 3.791 billion, marking the largest trading volume in Yau Tai Securities’ history since its listing.

From March 13, within just two trading days, Yau Tai Securities’ maximum increase exceeded 144%. As of the time of writing, the stock is trading at HKD 14.34 per share, easily doubling in value.

During this process, Ant Group’s unrealized gains on paper are also substantial.

On April 25, 2025, Ant Group’s wholly owned subsidiary Shanghai Yunjin Information Technology Co., Ltd. announced it would acquire a 50.55% stake in Yau Tai Securities held by founder Ye Maolin at HKD 3.28 per share, totaling approximately HKD 2.814 billion. Industry experts generally believe that this move aims to secure a Hong Kong brokerage license and accelerate international expansion. Through this acquisition, Alibaba will gain its first brokerage license, and Ant Fortune, an internet wealth management platform under Ant Group, collaborates with financial institutions nationwide to serve users. Currently, major domestic asset management firms offer products like Yu’ebao (money market funds), bond funds, and equity funds to hundreds of millions of users on Ant Fortune. After the acquisition, Ant can quickly complete the “payment - wealth management - securities” business loop.

The value of this equity stake has appreciated by up to 414%, worth over HKD 14.4 billion, with unrealized gains approaching HKD 11.7 billion.

In October 2025, the transaction was approved by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, allowing Ant to become a shareholder of several regulated subsidiaries under Yau Tai.

On November 25, due to the need to fulfill reporting procedures to the National Development and Reform Commission and considering the holiday schedule for the first quarter of 2026, the offeror and the seller revised the share purchase agreement, extending the final deadline to March 25, 2026, and increasing the deposit from HKD 140 million to HKD 164 million.

“The Leading Discount Broker” Yau Tai Securities

As for why Alibaba is interested in Yau Tai Securities, it may be related to the company’s own strengths.

Yau Tai Securities stands out among Hong Kong brokers.

Founded in 1995 in Hong Kong and listed on the main board in 2010, it is a local Hong Kong brokerage with nearly 30 years of history. Its actual controller is founder Ye Maolin. The company has established itself with a low-commission strategy. Since Hong Kong abolished the “minimum commission system” in 2003, Yau Tai has significantly lowered its commission rates. Currently, online trading commissions are as low as 0.01%, earning it the nickname “the discount broker king.”

According to Jieli Financial Cloud data, in terms of annual trading volume, Yau Tai Securities ranked 22nd among 554 brokers in 2024, with a total trading volume of HKD 318.6 billion, accounting for 0.99% of the total Hong Kong stock market trading.

It is also worth noting that Yau Tai Securities previously received significant investment from the family of Hong Kong billionaire Cheng Yu-tung. In January 2014, Yau Tai Securities was invested in by Chow Tai Fook’s agent company, Chow Tai Fook Agent Limited (hereafter Chow Tai Fook), which held 8.92% of the issued share capital at the time, becoming the second-largest shareholder. However, around 2015, Chow Tai Fook is believed to have divested its stake. Currently, Chow Tai Fook no longer appears among Yau Tai Securities’ major shareholders, missing out on this wealth wave.

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