Tencent is the Chinese technology company that operates WeChat and was founded in Shenzhen in 1998.
Tencent began with internet services and became known for QQ, an instant-messaging platform that helped it build a large user base in China. It later expanded into online games, digital payments, social networking, music, cloud services, and advertising.
WeChat, known in China as Weixin, grew from messaging into a broad mobile platform. Its functions include chats, payments, official accounts, mini programs, and other services, making it more than a conventional standalone messaging app.
Tencent has frequently appeared among the world's most valuable companies by market capitalization, although its exact position changes with share prices and market conditions. It is sometimes confused with Alibaba, another major Chinese technology company; Alibaba is best known for e-commerce and cloud businesses, while Tencent is especially associated with social platforms and gaming.