Gojek and Tokopedia formally announce merger

Indonesian ride-hailing and payments firm Gojek and e-commerce leader Tokopedia formally announced their merger today in a transaction that will create a technology powerhouse in the country’s largest deal.

Sources familiar with the situation had earlier said the companies were seeking a $18 billion merger. Neither firm confirmed a valuation for the merged group, named GoTo.

The deal comes as Gojek and Tokopedia seek to boost profitability some 10 years after they were founded by offering a bouquet of services under a single platform, extending a regional trend.

Alibaba Group Holding and SoftBank Group Corp are among Tokopedia’s investors, while Gojek’s include Warburg Pincus and Tencent Holdings.

Last month, Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-hailing and food delivery firm, Grab, clinched a $40 billion merger with a special purpose acquisition company. Meanwhile Singapore-based regional internet firm Sea Ltd, which operates e-commerce platform Shopee, is also muscling into food delivery and financial services.