Chinese regulators have concluded an antitrust investigation into Trip.com Group, announcing on Saturday, July 25, 2026, that the company must pay a total of 5.18 billion yuan—approximately US$765 million—for abusing its dominant position in the domestic online hotel-booking market. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) determined that the platform, which controls an estimated 56 percent of China’s online travel market, engaged in monopolistic conduct that harmed both hotel operators and consumers.
Regulators Impose $765 Million Penalty on Trip.com
The penalty package includes the confiscation of 1.66 billion yuan in illegal gains and a fine of 3.52 billion yuan, the latter of which represents 7.5 percent of the company’s 2025 domestic sales revenue of 46.96 billion yuan. Additionally, the regulator ordered Trip.com to return 122 million yuan in security deposits that the company had previously withheld from hotel partners.
Monopolistic Practices and Market Control
According to the SAMR, Trip.com has been abusing its market dominance since 2020. The investigation, which began in January 2026, revealed that the company utilized technical measures, platform rules, and traffic-allocation mechanisms to enforce strict control over the hotel industry. The regulator detailed two primary methods of conduct used to restrict competition:
* Exclusive Cooperation: The platform required “special-tier” hotel partners to enter into exclusive agreements. In exchange for greater traffic exposure and platform benefits, these hotels were prohibited from cooperating with rival booking platforms, such as Alibaba’s Fliggy, Douyin, or Meituan. * Price Parity Requirements: Trip.com demanded that “gold-tier” and other hotels ensure their rates on the Trip.com platform were the lowest available online. The company utilized automated pricing tools and manual intervention to monitor these rates; if lower prices were identified on competing sites, Trip.com would adjust the prices on its own platform to match or undercut them.
The regulator noted that when hotels failed to comply with these demands, Trip.com enforced its rules by removing hotels from preferred listings, reducing traffic, or deducting order security deposits.
Regulatory Context and Company Response
The investigation involved extensive evidence collection, including on-site inspections, data and algorithm analysis, and consultations with industry experts. Regulators concluded that these practices restricted the ability of hotels to operate across multiple platforms, infringed upon their pricing autonomy, and intensified excessive competition within the sector. Authorities stated that such behavior has contributed to deflationary pressures and harmed the healthy development of the industry.
In a statement released on Saturday, Trip.com Group, which owns brands including Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar, acknowledged the regulator’s findings. We sincerely accept and will resolutely comply with it,
the company stated, adding that it will systematically implement each rectification measure
to ensure full execution of the regulator’s requirements.
The move marks a significant development in Beijing’s ongoing efforts to curb unfair competition among major internet platforms. Since 2020, the SAMR has actively scrutinized the technology sector to address concerns regarding the concentration of data and market clout, a campaign that has previously resulted in substantial penalties for other major Chinese technology firms.
Summary of Financial Penalties
| Category | Amount (Yuan) |
|---|---|
| Confiscated Illegal Gains | 1.66 billion |
| Administrative Fine | 3.52 billion |
| Refund of Withheld Deposits | 122 million |
| Total Penalty | 5.18 billion |
For further details on the regulatory findings and the company’s compliance efforts, see the reports from apnews.com, The Business Times, and Nikkei Asia. Additional background on the Straitstimes and CNA coverage provides further context on the impact of these antitrust investigations.
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