On October 19, 2026, AliExpress and Tmall unveiled the China Brands Global Growth Plan at the AliExpress Annual Summit and Double 11 Merchant Conference. The initiative introduces seven support measures for leading brands, emerging AI hardware brands, and factory brands operating domestically and internationally. It signals a deeper Alibaba push to combine ecommerce reach with industrial capital.
A New Investment Focus on AI Hardware
AliExpress will provide angel round investments to selected AI hardware brands while offering Brand+ and Tmall operational support. The company aims to incubate more than 100 AI hardware brands. Yan Zhi, head of AliExpress overseas brand business, said AI represents the next technological revolution after the internet and will create entirely new hardware application scenarios.
Platform data underlines the momentum, with AI hardware sales doubling year on year from January to July 2026. Consumer demand is rising rapidly for AI robots, AI companion devices, and AI glasses, which AliExpress sees as evidence of vast investment space. Analysts noted that the investment plan moves the company beyond traffic distribution and sales services into a role closer to industrial capital.
Support for Brand Expansion and Globalization
The China Brands Global Growth Plan offers integrated domestic and international solutions, including brand protection and marketing support. The seven measures help leading brands, emerging AI hardware brands, and factory brands compete in China and overseas. AliExpress has expanded brand globalization efforts since 2025 through the Brand+ Global Expansion Program.
Brand+ has already attracted Xiaomi, Unitree Robotics, Pop Mart, and Li-Ning by helping them achieve higher sales volumes at roughly half the cost of Amazon. During the 618 shopping festival, AliExpress brand sales increased by 90% year on year, and brand penetration approached 40%. In the August promotion, brand sales in the European Union market rose by 97%.
At the summit, AliExpress announced three-year goals of 50% annual growth in both brand count and brand gross merchandise value. The platform will continue investing in global fulfillment, localized traffic, brand marketing, compliance, and AI capabilities. It also plans to expand into 66 new markets across Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and other regions.
Industry Perspectives and Regulatory Considerations
Zhang Yi, an analyst at iiMedia Research, said barriers to entry for AI hardware going global remain high, with mass production, compliance, and local operations serving as bottlenecks. He believes AliExpress can lock in high growth supply by combining investment, branding, and Tmall resources. Jiang Han, senior researcher at Pangu Think Tank, argued that branding on the supply side of cross-border ecommerce will become the main theme in the next decade.
Wang Peng, associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said the traditional cross-border traffic dividend has peaked and low price white label competition is intensifying. He explained that the industry needs branding to increase average order value and repeat purchases. He cautioned that the 50% compound annual growth target depends on brand incubation, compliance, localization, and sustainable subsidies.
In Europe, relevant rules may include provisions under the European Union's AI Act and the Data Act, which affects devices classified as connected products. Compliance with these frameworks will be critical for AI hardware brands entering European markets. The launch follows Alibaba's 2024 move to create a new ecommerce business group.
The China Brands Global Growth Plan reflects Alibaba's attempt to move beyond traffic-driven cross-border ecommerce and toward long-term brand value, industrial investment, and local operations. With ambitious three-year growth targets and a focus on AI hardware, AliExpress and Tmall are betting on China's manufacturing strengths and rising global demand for intelligent devices. Success will likely be measured by brand retention, repeat purchases, and the ability to navigate overseas compliance requirements.
Source: Security Times