Uber appears to be on the cusp of a deal with a rival ride-sharing app in China that could boost its presence in the country.
Yidao Yongche, one of the companies that pioneered an Uber Black-like limousine service in China, used microblogging platform Sina Weibo to hint at a coming together with Uber. Representatives from Uber declined to comment further, but any deal would represent another consolidation in China’s taxi-hailing space following the surprise multi-billion dollar merger between arch rivals Kuaidi Dache and Didi Dache announced back in February. (Those two companies are estimated to account for over 90 percent of China’s taxi-app market.)
Uber to announce tie-up with Yidao Yongche, the original UberBlack in China, on Thurs http://t.co/m9nDzNawBU pic.twitter.com/HmueqNi9i5
— Josh Horwitz (@horwitzjosh) May 18, 2015
Yidao Yongche was founded three years ago and it emerged as ‘the original Uber’ in China, before Kuaidi Dache and Didi Dache propelled themselves into dominant positions thanks to hundreds of millions of dollars of funding from investors including SoftBank, Alibaba and Tencent.
Uber and Yidao Yongche have been linked with a partnership in the past, back in May they were reported to be exploring a potential tie-in, and this time it appears to be a genuine possibility. Yidao Yongche hinted that the news will be announced at a press conference on Thursday.
Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room
Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400.
Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit
1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately
Offer ends March 13.
If a deal does come to fruition, it will not be Uber’s first tactical partnership in China. The U.S. firm took undisclosed investment from Baidu as part of a deal that helped it tap into the internet giant’s resources, including its superior mapping service in China. This time around, Yidao Yongche will add more legitimacy to Uber’s operations in China — which has been rocked by police raids in Guangzhou and Chongqing.
Any acquisition would be Uber’s first purchase of a ride-hailing company outright. It previously acquired U.S.-based map startup DeCarta in March.
