The popular messaging app now boasts more than 500m active users
WeChat's video function Image: WeChat |
Tencent, parent company of WeChat, has recently announced that the service now commands over 500m monthly active users (MAU), making it one of the world's most popular messaging services.
WeChat, which added 113m MAUs to its ranks last year, now boasts almost as many active users as Instagram and Twitter combined, although still trails it's Western equivalent WhatsApp by some 200m.
Most of WeChat's users are still based in Mainland China as its much vaunted overseas expansion has yet to take-off in a significant way. Growth slowed to a steady rate of 6.8% in the last quarter of last year.
WeChat started life as a simple messaging service but now boasts a variety of different functions for both social and business use. The app has a 65% to 35% male to female split, with 86% of its users aged between 18-35.
Over 60% of WeChat users are either privately or self-employed, making it an attractive platform for marketers looking to reach young professionals, according to data collected by consultancy China Skinny.