Which company founded in 1999 operates the Taobao and Tmall online marketplaces?

Alibaba Group, founded in 1999, operates the Taobao and Tmall online marketplaces.

Jack Ma and 17 other founders established Alibaba in Hangzhou, China, in 1999. The group later developed a broad digital-commerce ecosystem that includes Taobao for consumer-to-consumer shopping and Tmall for brands and retailers selling to consumers.

Alibaba became one of the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies after its 2014 New York Stock Exchange listing, which was the largest IPO at that time. Its businesses also include cloud computing, logistics, digital payments through associated structures, and international commerce.

Taobao and Tmall are not the same marketplace: Taobao is strongly associated with smaller merchants and consumer listings, while Tmall focuses on branded retail. Alibaba’s market capitalization has varied substantially because of changing technology valuations, regulatory developments, and company performance.