Tencent operates the WeChat messaging platform and is headquartered in Shenzhen, China.
Tencent was founded in 1998 by Pony Ma, Zhang Zhidong, Xu Cheney, Chen Yidan, and Zeng Liqing. Its first major product was QQ, an instant-messaging service. Tencent later built a broad technology ecosystem covering social networking, online games, digital payments, music, video, and cloud services.
WeChat launched in 2011 and became a major mobile platform combining messaging with payments, official accounts, mini-programs, and other services. Tencent also owns or invests in major game businesses, giving it an important position in the international interactive-entertainment market.
Tencent is separate from Alibaba Group. Alibaba is best known for e-commerce and cloud computing, while Tencent is especially associated with social communication and gaming. Both are publicly traded Chinese technology companies, but they have different core businesses.