Tencent developed WeChat, the messaging platform launched in 2011.
Tencent introduced WeChat in January 2011 under the Chinese name Weixin. The mobile app began as a messaging service and expanded to voice calls, video calls, social posting, payments, mini-programs, and other services. Its international name, WeChat, became widely recognized outside mainland China.
Tencent was founded in Shenzhen in 1998 by Ma Huateng and several co-founders. Its first major product was QQ, an instant-messaging service that became one of China’s most widely used internet platforms. Tencent later built a large business in games, digital content, advertising, fintech, and cloud services.
WeChat and QQ are different products, though both belong to Tencent. WeChat is especially notable for combining communication, commerce, payments, and third-party services inside one mobile ecosystem.