WeChat or Weixin in Chinese () is an instant messaging, social media, and mobile payment app developed by Tencent. First released in 2011, it became the world's largest standalone mobile app in 2018 with over 1 billion monthly active users. The Chinese version of WeChat, Weixin, has been described as China's "app for everything" and a super-app because of its wide range of functions. WeChat provides text messaging, hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast (one-to-many) messaging, video conferencing, video games, mobile payment, sharing of photographs and videos and location sharing.
AI overview
WeChat is a Chinese app developed by Tencent that combines instant messaging, social media, and mobile payments all in one platform. With over 1 billion monthly active users, it has become essential to daily life in China by offering a wide range of features—from messaging and video calls to games, payments, and photo sharing—which is why it's often called China's "app for everything."
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Software.name
- WeChat/Weixin
- Software.logo
- WeChat logo.svg
- Software.caption
- Screenshot of WeChat on iOS
- Software.developer
- Tencent Holdings Limited
- Software.released
- (as Weixin)
- Software.ver layout
- stacked
- Software.programming language
- C++, Dart, JavaScript
- Software.platform
- IA-32, x86-64, ARM, LoongArch
- Software.engine
- Qt, Flutter, ArkUI
- Software.operating system
- Android, HarmonyOS, iOS, macOS, Windows, Windows Phone, watchOS, Wear OS
- Software.language
- Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, Arabic, Turkish
Article
44 sectionsContents
- History
- Features
- Messaging
- Public accounts
- Moments
- Weixin Pay digital payment services
- Enterprise WeChat
- WeChat Mini Program
- WeChat Channels
- Easy Mode
- Guardian Mode
- Others
- WeChat Business
- Marketing modes
- B2C Mode
- B2B Mode
- Existing problems
- Marketing
- Campaigns
- Collaborations
- WeChat marketing tactics
- Platforms
- Controversies
- State surveillance and intelligence gathering
- Privacy issues
- XcodeGhost malware
- Ban in India
- Previous ban in Russia
- Ban and injunction against ban in the United States
- Facilitation of drug money laundering
- Ban in Canada
- Notorious Markets list
- 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum
- Canadian election interference
- Ban in Nepal
- Censorship
- Censorship of global issues and separation into two separate platforms
- Two censorship systems
- Censorship in Iran
- Crackdown on LGBTQ accounts in China
- Notes
- References
- Sources
- External links
WeChat or Weixin in Chinese () is an instant messaging, social media, and mobile payment app developed by Tencent. First released in 2011, it became the world's largest standalone mobile app in 2018 with over 1 billion monthly active users. The Chinese version of WeChat, Weixin, has been described as China's "app for everything" and a super-app because of its wide range of functions. WeChat provides text messaging, hold-to-talk voice messaging, broadcast (one-to-many) messaging, video conferencing, video games, mobile payment, sharing of photographs and videos and location sharing.
Accounts registered using Chinese phone numbers are managed under the Weixin brand, and their data is stored in mainland China and subject to Weixin's terms of service and privacy policy. Non-Chinese numbers are registered under WeChat, and WeChat users are subject to a more liberal terms of service and better privacy policy, and their data is stored in the Netherlands for users in the European Union, and in Singapore for other users. User activity on Weixin, the Chinese version of the app, is analyzed, tracked and shared with Chinese authorities upon request as part of the mass surveillance network in China. Chinese-registered Weixin accounts censor politically sensitive topics, and the software license agreement for Weixin (but not WeChat) explicitly forbids content which "[en]danger[s] national security, divulge[s] state secrets, [[Inciting subversion of state power|subvert[s] state power]] and undermine[s] national unity", as well as other types of content such as content that "[u]ndermine[s] national religious policies" and content that is "[i]nciting illegal assembly, association, procession, demonstrations and gatherings disrupting the social order". Any interactions between Weixin and WeChat users are subject to the terms of service and privacy policies of both services.