Watch: Jack Ma is trending again, and this time it’s for riding a bicycle

A short video clip has reignited global curiosity about Jack Ma. The Alibaba co-founder, once among the most prominent business figures in China, was filmed riding a bicycle through the quiet streets of Hangzhou. The video, shared on 17 July by X user Dott. Orikron, shows Ma dressed in sportswear, pedalling without any security around him.

“Jack Ma was spotted riding his bicycle in Hangzhou,” Orikron wrote. “Although he has retained his position as CEO, his story reminds me of China’s Last Emperor, who was pardoned after the revolution (despite collaborating with the Japanese) and became a simple gardener.”

The comparison to Emperor Puyi struck a chord online. One user wrote, “Simplicity at its peak,” while another said, “Alas, look how happy and free he is.” A third remarked, “A simple gardener with billions in the bank – is China so safe that billionaires like him don’t need bodyguards?”

Reactions from the street and the screen

According to Hype Malaysia, the original video was posted by a user on XiaoHongShu who claimed to have run into Ma at West Lake. She wrote, “I came to West Lake with my friends and ran into Jack Ma! He was wearing sportswear!” She also noted that Ma confirmed his identity when asked.

The relaxed scene drew a range of responses. Some admired his laid-back approach. Others raised concerns. One user on X questioned, “Dangerous to be biking at night.” Another said, “Unless he can give an interview and have people vouch he is alive, have to assume bad things happened to him.”

The buzz reflects not just curiosity but also deep public memory of Ma’s long silence.

What happened to Jack Ma?

Jack Ma has been mostly out of sight since October 2020. That was when he made a public speech criticising China’s financial regulators. He compared state-owned banks to pawn shops and questioned the country’s financial systems. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, his comments did not sit well with President Xi Jinping.

The response was swift and severe. Chinese authorities suspended Ant Group’s $37 billion IPO, a move that shocked markets globally. An investigation into Alibaba followed, wiping more than $100 billion off its market valuation. Ma, once omnipresent in business forums and media, simply vanished.

His sudden withdrawal triggered months of speculation, conspiracy theories and international headlines. Public sightings were rare, often unconfirmed. Many assumed he was under house arrest or had been forced into silence.

Earlier this year, Ma was seen at a high-level meeting with President Xi and other business leaders. It was the first clear sign that relations between China’s tech sector and the government might be warming. His recent cycling trip, while personal and informal, could be part of that same slow re-entry into public life.

As of July 2025, Ma’s net worth stands at $26.5 billion, according to Forbes. Though he stepped down as Alibaba’s executive chairman in 2019, he remains one of the company’s largest shareholders.

From rejection to riches

Jack Ma’s story isn’t typical of China’s business elite. Before founding Alibaba, he faced rejection after rejection. He applied for dozens of jobs, including one at KFC. Of 24 applicants, he was the only one not hired. Eventually, he became an English teacher.

He taught himself English by offering free city tours to tourists in Hangzhou. For nine years, he cycled 70 miles every morning to the Shangri-La Hotel just to practise the language.

His first ventures failed. Haibo Translation Agency didn’t last. China Pages didn’t succeed either. But in 1999, he gathered 17 friends in his apartment and pitched a new idea: Alibaba.

With no funding and no tech background, Ma focused on customer experience. His motto was simple: customers first, employees second, investors last. The idea was mocked. But by 2000, he secured a $20 million investment from SoftBank, led by Masayoshi Son. That changed everything.

Alibaba went on to reshape China’s e-commerce and digital payment landscape. By 2022, the company became Asia’s first to cross a $500 billion market valuation. Ma, once written off as unqualified and unworthy, became one of the richest people in the world.