Explainer | Five apps huge in China: Bilibili for video sharing, Pinduoduo for group buying, and more
- Bilibili has nearly 200 million monthly users, Didi is China’s equivalent of Uber, and Meituan is a consumer lifestyle super-app
- Pinduoduo is one of China’s fastest-growing e-commerce platforms, and Xiaohongshu is a US$3 billion social media shopping app
Seen as the main rival to popular Chinese video-sharing app TikTok, Kuaishou made headlines recently when the company’s shares nearly tripled when it went public on the Hong Kong stock market.
Like many Chinese apps that clock massive revenues, it was largely unknown outside the country before its trading debut. Here are five other apps that gather a huge number of followers in China.
1. Bilibili
Listed on New York’s Nasdaq in 2018, the video-sharing app has nearly 200 million monthly users, mostly young people who are drawn to its broad range of entertainment, including mobile games and popular live shows. It collected more than three billion yuan (US$475 million) in revenue in the third quarter alone last year.
But it is increasingly under Beijing’s gaze and was among several platforms called out by regulators last year over online stars wearing “revealing clothing” and performing “vulgar hot dances”. LGBT discussion groups and search terms were removed in an earlier censorship drive.
2. Didi
Ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing has dominated the Chinese market ever since it won a costly turf war against Uber and acquired the American app’s local unit in 2016. Its services are now available in 14 countries, including Russia and Australia.