Chinese Regulator to Fine Didi More Than $1 Billion Over Data-Security Breaches

After Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi made its Wall Street debut, Beijing said it plans to tighten rules for homegrown companies looking to raise money overseas. WSJ’s Yoko Kubota takes a Didi ride to explain what the crackdown means for China’s tech titans and investors. Photo illustration: Ang Li

SINGAPORE—Chinese authorities are preparing to impose a fine of more than $1 billion on ride-hailing company Didi Global bringing an end to a yearlong investigation into the company’s cybersecurity practices, according to people familiar with the issue.

Once the penalty is unveiled, the government plans to ease a restriction banning Didi from adding new users to its platform, and to allow the Beijing-based technology company’s mobile apps to be restored to domestic app stores, some of the people said. The fine will also pave the way for Didi, whose app is used by tens of millions of users in China each month, to kick-start a new share listing in Hong Kong, these people said.