Tencent operates WeChat and owns the video-game publisher Riot Games.
Tencent was founded in Shenzhen in 1998 by Ma Huateng and co-founders. Its early success came from internet messaging, especially QQ. WeChat, launched in 2011, grew into a multipurpose platform combining messaging, social features, payments, mini-programs, and other services.
Tencent expanded internationally through investments and acquisitions in the games industry. It acquired a majority stake in Riot Games in 2011 and became its sole owner in 2015. Riot developed League of Legends, one of the most commercially important competitive online games.
Tencent’s activities also include cloud services, digital content, advertising, fintech, and investments in other technology companies. It is sometimes confused with Alibaba because both are major Chinese technology groups, but Alibaba is primarily associated with e-commerce and cloud computing, while Tencent is especially associated with social platforms and games.