Ant Financial Services Group — which operates China's online payments platform, Alipay — is close to landing a deal to acquire Dallas-based MoneyGram International Inc., The Wall Street Journal reported, citing "people familiar with the situation."

Ant Financial Services, an affiliate of e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., is reportedly planning an IPO in 2017.

The Journal said it could not learn the exact price for the rumored deal.