Grab-GoTo merger a quick fix but hard sell

SOUTH-EAST Asia’s ride-hailing giants are at it again. Singapore’s Grab and Indonesia’s GoTo have reportedly restarted talks for a mega merger, three years after serious negotiations fell through.

The companies are in preliminary discussions about a range of scenarios, Bloomberg reported on Feb 9. Grab could acquire GoTo using cash, stock or a combination of the two, the report said, citing unnamed sources.

GoTo has denied that it is in any discussion with Grab. Still, it is easy to see why both companies would explore the possibility of a merger now.