BEIJING, January 31, 2026, 01:23 (GMT+8)
- China’s market watchdog slapped Kuaigou with a 26.7 million yuan ($3.84 million) fine for what it described as “illegal acts”
- The regulator pointed to “unreasonable” fees, poor consumer safeguards, and lapses in addressing counterfeit products and deceptive advertising
- Kuaigou acknowledged the penalty and pledged to boost its compliance efforts
China’s market regulator slapped Kuaigou, Kuaishou Technology’s e-commerce arm, with a 26.7 million yuan ($3.84 million) fine over multiple violations on its live-streaming shopping platform. (Source: Reuters)
Beijing is cracking down on live-streaming e-commerce—the rapid-fire market of selling products via live video—following months of official warnings over counterfeit goods and aggressive sales tactics.
Platforms such as Kuaishou, which generate revenue from merchants and in-app traffic, face increased scrutiny that often leads to higher compliance expenses and stricter regulations on product listings and promotion methods.
The State Administration for Market Regulation accused Kuaigou of imposing “unreasonable” fees and neglecting consumer protection, while also failing to crack down on counterfeit goods sold through its platform.
The unit was also charged with enabling false or misleading marketing practices, according to an enforcement action stemming from a regulatory investigation launched in September. (Source: MarketScreener)
The regulator stated that Kuaigou ran illegal ads and didn’t provide the necessary disclosures but didn’t specify what information was omitted.
It also claimed that Kuaigou facilitated services linked to the illegal trade of wild animals, their products, or banned hunting equipment.
Kuaigou said in a statement on Friday that it “sincerely accept(s)” the decision and would “resolutely obey” the penalty.
The fine comes after a September investigation, during which the regulator highlighted “illegal and irregular occurrences” in live-streaming e-commerce, such as false advertising and counterfeit products.
Hong Kong-listed Kuaishou is battling for attention from both shoppers and merchants in a saturated field that features other short-video and livestream apps alongside established e-commerce giants.
The regulator didn’t clarify if more penalties might come or whether it would add further operating limits, leaving companies exposed to potential extra enforcement if issues continue.
($1 equals 6.9490 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Source: Yahoo Finance)
