Tencent launched WeChat in 2011, helping make Tencent one of Asia’s most valuable companies.
Tencent introduced WeChat, originally called Weixin in Chinese, in January 2011. The app began as a mobile messaging service and expanded into voice messaging, video calls, social feeds, payments, games, and mini-programs. Its international brand name is WeChat, while Weixin remains the name used in mainland China.
WeChat became a major example of a multifunctional “super-app.” Users can communicate, pay bills, book services, shop, and access third-party tools without leaving the platform. Tencent also operates QQ, an older instant-messaging service that remains an important part of the company's history.
WeChat is not the same as Weibo, a microblogging platform operated by a separate company. Tencent's diverse businesses include online games, digital content, advertising, fintech, and cloud services, which help explain its large market value.