58pc of Hongkongers have WeChat account
Mobile messaging app’s usage growth has almost doubled in Asia-Pacific over the last year, says latest report
Over 58 per cent of Hongkongers now have a WeChat account, as the mobile messaging app continues to post strong growth in Asia-Pacific outside of China, according to a new report.
Excluding the Chinese mainland, WeChat’s usage growth has almost doubled in Asia-Pacific over the last year. WeChat’s 97 per cent usage growth surge was attributed to the app’s “versatility”, said GlobalWebIndex in its latest report on WeChat.
While the primary function of Tencent’s WeChat is mobile messaging, other functions on the platform include gaming, entertainment and payments.
In markets like Hong Kong and Malaysia, at least 60 per cent of existing WeChat users use the app daily.
“We were impressed, but not surprised, by WeChat’s impressive growth across APAC,” said Jason Mander, chief research officer at GlobalWebIndex. “The versatility of the service ... makes WeChat a popular choice in many diverse markets.”
WeChat’s growth has been particularly strong in countries such as South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with the fastest-growing market being Australia, where growth has increased by 284 per cent, according to GlobalWebIndex.
