London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Alibaba, disappeared from public view in 2020. He's been living in Tokyo for the past 6 months, a new report says.

Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Alibaba, disappeared from public view in 2020. He's been living in Tokyo for the past 6 months, a new report says.

Ma has been lying low since October 2020, when he gave a speech criticizing China's financial regulatory system that angered Chinese authorities.
Once one of China's richest businessmen, Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, mostly disappeared from public view two years ago after a run-in with the authorities. He's now resurfaced in Tokyo, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing people with direct knowledge of his whereabouts.

Ma, an outspoken teacher turned tech titan, was once a high-profile jet-setter who was the face of China's Big Tech. But he has been lying low since October 2020 after giving a speech criticizing China's financial regulatory system.

His words angered the Chinese authorities, prompting intense regulatory scrutiny of his businesses and a wider crackdown on tech firms in the country.

There has been intense speculation about Ma's whereabouts since he vanished from the limelight.

The billionaire was spotted in July visiting Wageningen University & Research, the Dutch institution announced on its website.

The Financial Times report said that though he's been living in Tokyo for nearly half a year, Ma has been keeping a low profile in the city and socializing mainly within several private members clubs. It said he's also spent his time in Japan visiting hot springs and ski resorts in the countryside with his family.

Ma has been making regular trips to the US and Israel, the report said.

Like China, Japan had some of the world's toughest border controls during the pandemic, but visa-free travel resumed last month. In contrast, lockdowns have persisted in China, leading to rare protests against the authorities over the weekend.

The spotlight on Ma's activities coincided with Beijing's push for "common prosperity," a concept that the rich must share their wealth with the poor to create a more equal society. The drive hit tech firms as well as property firms, which were forced to reduce their debt levels as authorities sought to control high home prices.

This weighed on Chinese tech and property firms, sending the net worth of the country's richest people plunging. Ma, who at his peak was worth about $61 billion in October 2020, is now thought to be worth about $30.7 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That's in part because Alibaba's share price has fallen by about 75% from its 2020 peak.

Ma stepped down as the chairman of Alibaba in 2019. He still sits on the board of the Jack Ma Foundation, which he founded.

The foundation did not respond immediately to a request from Insider for comment.
Comments

Brad 2 year ago
Jack Ma, is staying in Belize in a private villa.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
×