Tencent operates WeChat and was founded in Shenzhen in 1998 by five entrepreneurs.
Tencent was established by Pony Ma, Zhang Zhidong, Xu Cheney, Chen Yidan, and Zeng Liqing. Its first major product was QQ, an instant-messaging service that became widely used in China. The company later developed games, digital content, online advertising, payment services, and cloud computing.
WeChat, known in China as Weixin, launched in 2011 and grew from messaging into a broad mobile platform. Users can communicate, make payments, follow accounts, and access mini-programs within the app. Tencent is sometimes confused with Alibaba because both are major Chinese technology groups, but Alibaba is primarily associated with e-commerce and cloud services, while Tencent is especially associated with social platforms and gaming. Its diversified digital ecosystem has made it one of Asia’s most valuable companies.