How to invest in the Didi Chuxing shares from Australia

Didi Chuxing is a Chinese ride-hailing platform founded in 2012. The company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in June, 2021.

As well as ride and taxi hailing, DiDi also offers food delivery services, electric bike sharing and other types of mobility services. Didi Chuxing operates mainly in China, but also offers its services to various countries around the world.

Find out how and where to invest in DIDI shares from Australia.

How to invest in Didi Chuxing shares from Australia

There are two main ways Australians can invest in the company.

1. Use an international brokerage account

Many Australian brokerages only offer access to Australian stock exchanges. But there are a few brokers equipped to facilitate international trade, like eToro, IG and CMC Invest.

Before you sign up, review your broker's commissions, exchange rates and potential taxes. Most important of all: make sure the platform you're interested in offers access to the international exchange you want to trade on. This information can typically be found on a broker's website.

2. Buy ETFs

You can indirectly add Didi Chuxing stock to your portfolio by investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the stock. Once Didi Chuxing's stock goes live, look for ETFs that add its shares to their overall holdings. By purchasing these ETFs, you'll gain indirect exposure to Didi Chuxing's stock.

You can buy global themed ETFs from a domestic brokerage account.

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What we know about the Didi Chuxing IPO

At $16 a share, Didi Chuxing's IPO raised over $4.4 billion when it listed on the NYSE on June 30, 2021. The company is among the most popular ride-hailing platforms in China, backed by the likes of Alibaba, Softbank and Tencent.

Didi Chuxing’s balance sheet

Didi Chuxing was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. It operates as a mobile transportation platform, offering a variety of services that include ride-hailing, ride-sharing, bike-sharing and more. It serves over 10 billion passengers annually across China, Japan, Australia, Russia and Latin America.

In 2016, Didi acquired Uber China, partnered with TripAdvisor and broke records by offering over 11 million private-car rides and 14 million orders in a single day.

While we’ve yet to see a public statement from the company on the matter, sources suggest Didi generated a healthy profit in Q2 2020. As more information is released ahead of its IPO, investors will have the opportunity to learn more about the company’s balance sheet.

How are similar companies performing?

While no guarantee of performance, here’s how some of Didi Chuxing’s competitors have fared:

• Lyft (LYFT.US)

  Company summary

  Lyft, Inc. operates a peer-to-peer marketplace for on-demand ride-sharing in the United States and Canada. The company operates multimodal transportation networks that offer riders personalized and on-demand access to various mobility options. It provides Ride-sharing Marketplace, which connects drivers with riders; Express Drive, a flexible car rentals program for drivers; Lyft Rentals that provides vehicles for long-distance trips; and a network of shared bikes and scooters in various cities to address the needs of riders for short trips.

  The company also integrates third-party public transit data into the Lyft app to offer riders various transportation options. In addition, it offers autonomous vehicles; concierge for organizations; Lyft Pass that allows organizations to create custom transportation programs; enterprise programs, including monthly ride credits for daily commutes, supplementing public transit by providing rides for the first and last leg of commute trips, late-night rides home, and shuttle replacement rides; and transportation solutions that can be customized for events, such as recruiting events, conferences, celebrations, meetings, and company retreats. The company was formerly known as Zimride, Inc. and changed its name to Lyft, Inc. in April 2013. Lyft, Inc. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

  Historical performance

• Meituan (MPNGY.US)

  Company summary

  Meituan, an investment holding company, provides an e-commerce platform that uses technology to connect consumers and merchants. It operates through Food Delivery; In-store, Hotel & Travel; and New Initiatives and Others segments. The Food Delivery segment offers food ordering and delivery service through its platform. The In-Store, Hotel & Travel segment enables merchants to sell vouchers, coupons, tickets, and reservations through the company's platform.

  The New Initiatives and Others segment offers restaurant management system, supply chain, Meituan Instashopping, integrated payment, micro loan, local transportation, non-food delivery, and other products and services, as well as pilot car-hailing and bike-sharing services. The company also offers multimedia information technology, cloud computing, merchant information advisory, online payment, and marketing services.

  The company was formerly known as Meituan Dianping and changed its name to Meituan in October 2020. Meituan was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

  Historical performance

• Uber Technologies (UBER.US)

  Company summary

  Uber Technologies, Inc. develops and operates proprietary technology applications in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It connects consumers with independent providers of ride services for ridesharing services and other forms of transportation services, including public transit, as well as connect riders and other consumers with restaurants, grocers, other stores, and delivery service providers for meal preparation, grocery, and other delivery services.

  The company operates through four segments: Mobility, Delivery, Freight, and Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) and Other Technology Programs. The Mobility segment provides products that connect consumers with mobility drivers who provide rides in a range of vehicles, such as cars, auto rickshaws, motorbikes, minibuses, or taxis. It also offers Uber for Business, financial partnerships, transit, and vehicle solutions offerings. The Delivery segment allows consumers to search for and discover local restaurants, order a meal, and either pick-up at the restaurant or have the meal delivered, as well as offers grocery and convenience store delivery, and select other goods.

  The Freight segment connects carriers with shippers on the company's platform and enable carriers upfront, transparent pricing, and the ability to book a shipment. The ATG and Other Technology Programs segment engages in the development and commercialization of autonomous vehicle and ride-sharing technologies, as well as Uber Elevate. The company was formerly known as Ubercab, Inc. and changed its name to Uber Technologies, Inc. in February 2011. Uber Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

  Historical performance