China's biggest online search engine Baidu is ready to collaborate with China CITIC Bank to build a direct banking business.
China CITIC Bank will officially announce the strategic partnership on Wednesday.
So far, details about the cooperation have not been revealed.
Baidu is expected to finally enter the private banking market, through the partnership with CITIC.
Baidu's rivals - Alibaba and Tencent - have already successfully acquired licenses for private banking by forming alliances with different partners.