JD.com said it had raised $2.5 billion by offering a stake in its logistics business, which it will use to put resources into new advancements like automatons and apply autonomy.

The Chinese online business monster said in an announcement Wednesday that it had entered into concurrences with financial specialists including Hillhouse Capital, Sequoia China and Tencent.

JD.com will keep on being a dominant part investor in its logistics arm, JD Logistics, with a 81.4 percent stake. The firm said it anticipates that the arrangement will be completely finished inside this quarter.

The organization is one of the biggest online retailers in China and a contender to Alibaba. It said the arrangement would empower it to put more in advancements which are changing the online business industry.

“This current funding round sets the stage for us to further invest in expanding our lead in the sector in areas like automation, drones and robotics,” Richard Liu, chairman and CEO of JD.com, said in a statement Wednesday.

“JD Logistics will continue to support both JD.com’s e-commerce business and the logistical needs for a wide range of industries for years to come.”

JD.com’s logistics unit was spun off as a standalone subsidiary in April last year.