Groupon is currently in talks with major Chinese Internet company Tencent to co-brand a deals website there. Normally Groupon would buy a competitor or a clone and re-brand them, but in this case it sounds like Chicago-based group coupon service is seeking something more.

Group coupon service Groupon.com has completed its $950 million series G round of funding. The best part is the press release title: “Groupon Raises, Like, A Billion Dollars.” I’ve pasted the press release below. The investors in this round include Andreessen Horowitz, Battery Ventures, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Mail.ru Group, Maverick Capital, Silver Lake, and Technology Crossover Ventures. Allen & Company LLC acted as financial advisor. The previous funding rounds was led by New Enterprise Associates, Accel Partners, and Mail.ru Group (formerly DST).

Mail.ru has filed to go public on the London Stock Exchange. Mail.ru, also known as Digital Sky Technologies, has preparing for the IPO since May 2009. Mail.ru said that they are “well positioned to benefit from the expected growth of the Russian internet advertising market and the increase in internet value-added services.” Some of the proceeds earned from the IPO would be used to increase their stake in Russian social network vKontakte to 32.49% from 24.99%. Mail.ru hopes to raise $876 million from the IPO, giving them a $5.7 billion valuation. Mail.ru has equity in Facebook, Groupon, and Zynga through Digital Sky Technologies. [paidContent]

South African media company Naspers has acquired 28.7% in Digital Sky Technologies (DST) for $388 million and a 39.3% stake in Mail.ru. DST now has 99.9% ownership in Mail.ru. Russian investment DST company is best known for investing in social networks. DST bought 1.96% of Facebook for $200 million and bought a $180 million stake in Zynga. DST also bought out ICQ from AOL recently and has equity in Groupon. [paidContent]