Tencent owns the WeChat messaging and payment platform.
Tencent launched WeChat in 2011, and the service became a major part of digital life in China by combining messaging, social features, payments, media, and mini-programs. Tencent also operates major businesses in online games, music, video, cloud computing, and digital services.
The breadth of these businesses has made Tencent one of the world’s largest publicly traded companies by market capitalization. Its share price is influenced by gaming releases, advertising, payment activity, regulatory policy, and the performance of its investments.
WeChat is sometimes confused with Tencent’s international corporate name or with Alibaba’s commerce platforms. WeChat is Tencent’s flagship social application, while Alibaba is best known for e-commerce and digital retail ecosystems.