New York, January 14, 2026, 15:03 (EST) — Regular session
Shares of Trip.com Group Limited’s U.S.-listed depositary receipts dropped 17.7% to $62.26 in Wednesday afternoon trading. The company revealed it is under investigation by China’s market regulator. Trip.com (Nasdaq: TCOM; HKEX: 9961) said it will cooperate fully and assured that its operations continue as usual. (PR Newswire)
This shift highlights just how fast regulatory concerns can upend valuations for China-linked platform firms, despite months of upbeat sentiment on travel demand.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has launched an investigation into Trip.com, suspecting it of abusing its dominant market position. The agency opened the case following initial reviews but didn’t specify the allegations. Under China’s anti-monopoly law, companies can be slapped with fines ranging from 1% to 10% of their previous year’s annual sales. Back in December, a Yunnan homestay industry group claimed to have collected complaints about coercive contract terms, commission hikes, and traffic blocking by several platforms, Trip.com included. The company recently reported a 16% jump in third-quarter net revenue. For context, China’s earlier antitrust crackdown saw Alibaba hit with a record 18 billion yuan fine in 2021. (Reuters)
In Hong Kong, shares dropped roughly 6.5% earlier, according to TipRanks. JPMorgan held its rating but warned the “overhang” — uncertainty surrounding the stock — might persist for months while investors await a penalty ruling. (TipRanks)
The Trip.com situation reflects a wider trend, noted Li Chengdong, founder and chief analyst at Beijing’s Dolphin consultancy. “Antitrust enforcement could become normalised,” he said. (South China Morning Post)
Trip.com fell amid a sluggish day for travel stocks but lagged behind its rivals. Booking Holdings slipped 3.7%, Expedia dropped 5.3%, and Airbnb tumbled 6.7%. The S&P 500 ETF (SPY) lost 0.8%, while the Nasdaq-tracking QQQ dipped 1.5%. The China internet ETF (KWEB) held steady, and the iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) edged down roughly 0.6%.
Investors are now focused on which practices are being scrutinized and if any fixes extend beyond just a fine. Signs that pricing, commissions, or supplier ranking policies are involved could hit margins.
Probes often stretch out, and a hefty fine or forced tweaks to partner agreements could hit right as the company enters a key travel season. If demand dips then, coping with those blows would get tougher.
Next up: watch for any fresh statements from SAMR or Trip.com before the Lunar New Year holiday on Feb. 17, a period when travel usually spikes across China. Booking and listing activity heading into the break could offer an early signal on whether the investigation is shifting behavior on either side of the platform. (Timeanddate)
