HONG KONG (March 12): JD.com Inc is in talks to buy part or all of a stake in brokerage Sinolink Securities worth at least US$1.5 billion, three people said, as the e-commerce major aims to bolster its financial services operations.

A deal to buy the stake from Sinolink's largest shareholder, Yongjin Group, would be the biggest bet in acquisition value terms by Beijing-based JD.com in China's US$45 trillion financial market.