(Yicai Global) Dec. 5 -- As the bike-sharing sector goes through a reshuffle and seeks new ways to generate revenue, founder and CEO of Tencent Holdings Ltd. [HKG:0700], Pony Ma, commented on a Yicai Global report on this issue on his WeChat account. Shared-bikes are now used as a promotional tool for mobile payment systems and that it is a pity that small shareholders are locked up due to their investments in such bike companies, Pony Ma was quoted by online media outlet Lieyun as saying.

Hellobike, operated by Shanghai Junzheng Network Technology Co., has secured USD350 million in series-D1 round of financing, after which Ant Financial Services, financial services arm of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. [NYSE:BABA], has become the largest shareholder of the new company. The above statement was made by Youon Carbon Technology Co., with which Hellobike merged in October. The nature of the bike-sharing business has changed, Yicai Global reported today.

In the past, Mobike, Ofo, Hellobike invest huge amount of money mainly in bicycles, while they are all eyeing the 'big travel' in the hope of establishing an eco-system for 'big travel' by operating a platform featuring travel by bicycles and automobiles, said Yicai Global.