Tencent’s WeChat drives China’s late adopters to social media, join 626 million total active users this year
Marketed as Weixin in the domestic market, WeChat offers a wide array of services which older users find appealing. The app had 937.8 million monthly users as of March 31
Tens of millions of older internet users across mainland China are rushing to join social networks like WeChat, as these platforms have become accessible on mobile devices and transformed into new channels for various commercial activities.
That development will lead to more than eight in 10 internet users on the mainland, or 626 million people, to regularly access social networks this year, according to eMarketer.
The research firm predicted that 62 per cent of internet users aged 55 to 64 on the mainland will be part of social networks this year. That equates to about 28.8 million individuals.
WeChat’s expansion into the areas of payments, shopping and general utility have made more older users interested to participate in social networks
“WeChat’s expansion into the areas of payments, shopping and general utility have made more older users interested to participate in social networks,” said Monica Peart, eMarketer’s senior forecasting director.