Alibaba Group Holding Ltd is a Chinese multinational technology conglomerate founded in 1999. It operates major online platforms including Taobao, Tmall, and Alibaba.com, which connect buyers and sellers globally. In 2014, estimated transactions on Alibaba's online sites totaled $248 billion. Alibaba became one of the most valuable tech companies in the world after its US IPO in 2014 raised $25 billion, the largest IPO in US history. The company primarily generates revenue through advertising and commissions on transactions through its platforms.