(Beijing) -- Chinese e-commerce giant 360Buy is moving to explore web-based financing business, a new potential growth area for Internet companies.

Alibaba Group and Suning Appliance Co. have already forged into the field.  

360Buy launched a financial service platform on November 27 to help suppliers get loans from partnered banks. 360Buy says it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Beijing branch of the Bank of China, which will provide financial support to the new platform.