Mobile messaging app-maker Tango on Wednesday said it has raised $280 million in a new funding round led by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Together with some of Tango's prior investors (Access Industries, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang), Alibaba has lead a $280 million Series D funding round. As part of this financing, Michael Zeisser from Alibaba will join Tango's Board of Directors.

Alibaba has been competing with Tencent, which is offering WeChat, a popular messaging app that has become an e-commerce platform.

Tango said its messaging service has 200 million registered users and 70 million active users. Since its introduction in 2009, Tango has introduced a content platform that is now home to more than 30 games, along with new social networking features that allow members to share updates or photos and to find new friends. Tango has also introduced social music sharing through integration with Spotify, allowing Tango's members to send each other songs.

Alibaba is also preparing for an highly anticipated initial public offering in New York that could value the company at $200 billion.