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The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

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Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar

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Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
TechAlibaba Group Inc.

Alibaba Just Grabbed a 5.6% Stake in Groupon

Robert Hackett
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Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
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Robert Hackett
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Robert Hackett
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February 16, 2016, 3:47 PM ET
Key Speakers At Day Three Of The APEC CEO Summit
Billionaire Jack Ma, chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., speaks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Manila, the Philippines, on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. Businesses and people should be free to trade because it's a human right and represents freedom, Ma told the APEC summit. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by SeongJoon Cho — Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Is Groupon poised to make a comeback?

Alibaba (BABA), the Chinese e-commerce giant, snatched up nearly 33 million shares of the daily deals site Groupon (GRPN), the company disclosed in a regulatory filing on Friday.

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The stock purchase amounted to more than $100 million. Alibaba’s recently disclosed 5.6% stake makes it the company’s fourth largest shareholder as of the end of last year, Bloomberg reports.

A spokesperson for Alibaba described the strategy of taking positions in international firms as a common practice for the company. “We bought a very small minority stake in Groupon in order to share ideas between U.S. and China markets,” he said, mentioning in particular the online-to-offline deals business. “This is a passive holding and if Groupon management would like to exchange experiences with us, we are prepared to share.”

Alibaba has taken similar positions in other companies, including the online retailer Jet.com, the augmented reality startup Magic Leap, and the ride hailing service Lyft, Bloomberg reports.

For more on Groupon, watch:

Groupon did not immediately reply to Fortune’s request for comment. A spokesperson did tell Bloomberg, however, that the company was unaware of the stake until the filing. “Alibaba has a reputation as a long-term holder, and we’re pleased that they take the same view of Groupon’s opportunity and execution as we do,” he said.

Groupon, once an e-commerce darling that experienced rocketship customer growth, has floundered for years following a shoddy public market debut in 2011. (Fortune’s Dan Primack and Erin Griffith have argued that the company is a success and a flop, respectively.)

Groupon shares are up nearly 80% since the news became public.

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