Tencent, a major Chinese company by market capitalization, launched WeChat under the original name Weixin in 2011.
Tencent introduced Weixin in January 2011 as a mobile messaging application. The service added voice messaging, group chats, and other features that helped it grow beyond simple text communication. Outside mainland China, the product became widely known by the name WeChat.
The two names refer to the same Tencent service, but they reflect different market branding. “Weixin” is the Chinese name, while “WeChat” is the international brand. The application later expanded into payments, official accounts, mini programs, games, and other functions.
WeChat should not be confused with Weibo, a separate Chinese social-media platform. Tencent also operates QQ, an older messaging service that played a major role in the company’s early growth.