Tencent operates WeChat, China’s widely used messaging and payments platform.
WeChat launched in 2011 under the Chinese name Weixin and developed from a mobile messaging service into a broad digital ecosystem. Its functions include text and voice messaging, social feeds, mini-programs, gaming links, and mobile payments through WeChat Pay.
Tencent was founded in Shenzhen in 1998 by Pony Ma, Zhang Zhidong, Xu Cheney, Chen Yidan, and Zeng Liqing. Its other major businesses include online games, digital content, advertising, and cloud services, helping make it one of the world’s largest technology companies by market value.
People sometimes use WeChat and Weixin as if they were unrelated products. They are closely related versions of Tencent’s platform, with branding and some features varying by market. WeChat is the international-facing name.