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Trip.com faces verdict as China to wrap up antitrust probes as soon as this week: sources

Market regulator expected to close investigation into top online travel service provider, with potential fines running into billions of yuan

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Trip.com is expected to face fines of up to 6 billion yuan. Photo: Shutterstock
Coco Fengin Guangdong
China’s market regulator is poised to announce the outcome of its months-long antitrust investigation into Trip.com Group, the country’s largest online travel services provider, as soon as this week, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The probes, launched in January by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), could be concluded as early as Monday, one of the people said.

The company could face a fine of between 2 billion yuan (US$295 million) and 6 billion yuan, according to two of them. Under China’s anti-monopoly law, violators can be penalised with confiscation of illegal proceeds and fines of up to 10 per cent of the previous year’s sales.

Trip.com, operator of the international namesake platform, global metasearch site Skyscanner, and China-focused travel platforms Ctrip and Qunar, reported net revenues of 62 billion yuan in 2025. It also holds a stake in rival Tongcheng Travel, which remains separately listed and operated.

Trip.com did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. The SAMR could not be reached for comment on Monday.

In its January announcement, the SAMR alleged that Trip.com abused its “dominant market position” and engaged in “monopolistic practices”.

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