Liu Qiangdong: Yachts are not just toys for the wealthy, just like cars used to be, making them affordable for ordinary families in the country.

NightAirdropper · 2026-02-27T14:25:01+00:00

JD.com founder Liu Qiangdong announces the establishment of an independent yacht brand Sea Expandary, with plans to invest 5 billion yuan to develop the entire yacht industry chain. He believes that the Chinese yacht market has huge potential, currently with only 12,000 yachts, far below the 13 million in the United States. He hopes that ordinary wage earners can also own yachts and change people's perception of yachts as a luxury for the wealthy.

NightAirdropper

2026-02-27 14:25:01

Abstract generation in progress

TechNews, February 25 — JD.com founder Liu Qiangdong has quietly started a new business this time aiming to make yachts affordable for ordinary Chinese workers.

Liu Qiangdong, founder and chairman of JD.com, announced yesterday the creation of an independent yacht brand, Sea Expandary, with an investment of 5 billion yuan. The plan is to develop a full industry chain covering research and development, manufacturing, sales, operations, leasing, brokerage, and services for the yacht industry.

Liu Qiangdong stated that this investment is personal, and he will not be directly involved in operations and management.

Why invest in yachts? According to Liu Qiangdong, there are three reasons:

Yachts are currently the most high-end segment within China’s industrial categories, with Europe and the United States holding about 90% of the global market share;
Yachts align with the country’s high-quality development goals;
China’s vehicle ownership has surpassed the US, but the US has 13 million yachts, while China only has 12,000—meaning China’s yacht ownership is only 1/1000 of the US, indicating huge growth potential in China’s yacht market.

Liu Qiangdong also mentioned, “Many people think yachts are for the wealthy, a tool for the rich. That’s not true. Forty years ago, owning a car was considered a sign of wealth, but today, any ordinary family can afford a car. Over 20% of households in our village own cars. I believe that in the next 20 years, yachts have significant development potential in China.”

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