China’s all-purpose WeChat app lets users register two accounts with one phone number in pilot test
- The secondary account, which requires a different ID and password to log in, comes with its own digital wallet and can access other functions under WeChat Pay
- WeChat has become a go-to app for the workplace, for sharing documents, holding video and audio conferences, and as a substitute for emails
WeChat, the all-purpose social media app operated by Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings, is pilot testing a function that allows users to register for an extra account under the same mobile number, a move that could help people manage use of the app in their personal and work lives.
The secondary account, which requires a different ID and password to log in, comes with its own digital wallet and can access other functions under WeChat Pay.
Previously only one WeChat account was permitted per mobile number, which blurred the lines between professional and personal use as many of the app’s 1.29 billion monthly active users rely on it for everyday communications, entertainment and work.
The new function has been in pilot testing among a select group of users since last year, and it is unknown if or when it will be officially launched, according to a report by Chinese media outlet Thepaper.cn.
Tencent declined to comment when reached on Wednesday.