Alibaba’s global e-commerce arm is considering a U.S. initial public offering

(Reuters) – Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s international online shopping unit is exploring a U.S. initial public offering, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The report states that the e-commerce giant is in the early stages of consideration and the size of the IPO has not yet been determined.

The report shows that the business group is in talks with banks that could potentially help prepare a public offering next year.

However, in an emailed statement to Reuters, Alibaba Digital Commerce Group said: “There is no plan for an IPO at this time.”

In March, Alibaba said it planned to split into six units and explore raising funds or listing most of them as part of a sweeping modernization as China promises to ease sweeping regulatory clamps and support its private enterprises.

Analysts said at the time that the breakup could facilitate control over the technology giant, whose extensive operations have been the target of regulators for years.

(Reporting by Manya Saini and Samrhitha Arunasalam in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)