Uber will accept bookings only until April 8, after which it merges with Grab

Uber said on Monday that its service would continue to be accessible only until April 8 as it confirmed the merging of its Southeast Asia operations with Grab. After April 8, all booking requests could be made from the Grab application.

“We want to share some news with you – Uber will be combining our operations with Grab to lead you in the next chapter of ridesharing in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia,” Uber said in a statement e-mailed to its users.

“What this means for you: We will be transitioning our services over to the Grab platform by April 8, 2018, so all requests after that date should be made from the Grab app,” it said.

Uber said, however, said that its app could still be used in more than 80 countries around the world.

In a statement released early Monday, Grab announced its acquisition of Uber’s operation in Southeast Asia.

Grab said the deal was the “largest acquisition by a Southeast Asian internet company,” which reflects the company’s leadership position in the region.

Grab said Uber would take a 27.5-percent stake in Grab, which it said was “reflective of the companies’ respective market shares.”

“The acquisition accelerates Grab’s path to profitability in its core transport business, as it’s the most cost efficient Southeast Asian platform,” it said. /atm

READ: Grab confirms buying Uber businesses in Southeast Asia