AliExpress has been ordered to pay a €550 million penalty (roughly $629 million) after European regulators found the online marketplace breached the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The European Commission determined that the platform failed to implement effective controls to stop the sale of unlawful, unsafe, or counterfeit items. Officials noted that AliExpress assigned too few personnel to product verification and allowed hazardous toys and cosmetics to remain listed for several weeks after being identified.
“The presence of fake apparel, unsafe toys, dangerous cosmetics, and other unlawful products is not an inevitable part of e-commerce—it reflects AliExpress’s failure to meet its responsibilities under the Digital Services Act,” said EU technology commissioner Henna Virkkunen. “Operating at scale does not exempt a company from its duties; risks must be detected and managed systematically so that consumers can shop safely.”
The fine marks the largest ever issued under the DSA. It follows a penalty of more than $230 million against fellow Chinese retailer Temu in May for comparable violations. AliExpress must correct the identified deficiencies by October 20, 2026, or it may face continued recurring penalties.