China fines Trip.com 5.18 billion yuan for monopoly abuse

Chinese regulators have imposed a 5.18 billion yuan (approximately $765 million) penalty on Trip.com Group, the country's dominant online travel platform, for abusing its market dominance. The State Administration for Market Regulation announced the fine on Saturday, July 25, 2026, concluding a six-month investigation into the company's monopolistic practices.

The regulator found that Trip.com, which operates brands including Ctrip and Skyscanner, leveraged its control of roughly 56 percent of China's online travel market to force hotel partners into exclusive arrangements. Since 2020, the company used its traffic allocation algorithms, platform rules, and technical measures to restrict hotels from listing on competing platforms and to control the prices they could charge. Investigators determined these practices eliminated market competition, infringed on hotel operators' rights to set their own prices, and harmed consumer interests.

The total penalty of 5.18 billion yuan includes the confiscation of 1.66 billion yuan in illegal gains and a separate fine of 3.52 billion yuan. The company was also ordered to refund approximately 122 million yuan in security deposits it had...