Tencent is the Chinese technology company that owns WeChat and ranks among the world's largest companies by market capitalization.
Tencent was founded in Shenzhen in 1998 by Ma Huateng, 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. Tencent later expanded into online games, digital payments, cloud computing, music, and social media.
WeChat, known in China as Weixin, launched in 2011 and grew into a multifunctional platform for messaging, payments, mini-programs, commerce, and services. Tencent also became a major global games investor and publisher through stakes and acquisitions involving international studios.
Tencent is often confused with Alibaba Group, another Chinese mega-cap technology company. Alibaba is best known for e-commerce and cloud businesses, while Tencent’s identity is more closely associated with social communication, gaming, and digital content. Both companies’ market values fluctuate with regulation, earnings, and investor sentiment.