Tencent launched the messaging service QQ in 1999.
QQ began as an instant-messaging service in China and was originally called OICQ. The name changed after a trademark dispute involving ICQ, an earlier internet messaging service. QQ became one of Tencent’s foundational products and helped establish the company’s large online user base.
Tencent later introduced WeChat, known in China as Weixin, in 2011. WeChat developed into a broader mobile platform combining messaging, social features, payments, and other services.
QQ and WeChat are therefore not the same product. QQ was Tencent’s earlier desktop-oriented messaging success, while WeChat became its major smartphone ecosystem. Tencent also operates businesses in games, digital content, advertising, and financial technology.