Ant Financial, the financial services affiliate of China-based e-commerce group Alibaba, has postponed plans for an initial public offering until at least the end of 2019, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

The company was rumoured to be gearing up for a flotation as early as this year, but people familiar with the matter told the FT the decision to put off the listing was in fact made several months ago. One source told the FT a flotation could be…