Tencent is one of the largest tech companies worldwide. The gaming giant owns thousands of businesses that focus on internet-related services, entertainment, AI, and other technologies.
In addition to the gaming market, Tencent reigns supreme in the social media industry as well. WeChat, the biggest social media platform in China, is one of the tech tycoon’s brilliant developments.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into Tencent’s stats, highlighting its user base, revenue, market cap, and more.
Telling Tencent Statistics to Keep In Mind in 2022 (Editor’s Choice)
- Tencent Holdings has a $562.24 billion market cap.
- About 98% of Chinese netizens use a Tencent-owned app.
- Tencent owns a stake in about 700 companies.
- There are 36,755 apps available in the Tencent app store.
- Tencent’s social media platforms have over one billion users.
- More than 129 million people pay for a Tencent Video subscription.
- Tencent Meeting has 100 million users.
- The company employs over 85,000 people.
Tencent Company Information
Pony Ma, Zhang Zhidong, Xu Chenya, Chen Yiden, and Zeng Liqing founded the company back in November 1998 as Tencent Inc.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses at the beginning, though. Tencent’s founders struggled through the first three years before the company gained momentum—but their persistence certainly paid off.
1. In early 2021, Tencent was the seventh-largest company in the world.
(Source: Companies Market Cap)
The company’s market cap reached an all-time high ($916.03 billion) in February 2021. Back then, it was one of the three non-US-based companies in the top 10 list of the most valuable enterprises worldwide, along with the Saudi Arabian Oil Company and Alibaba.
However, by August 2021, Tencent stats indicate the company’s market value had gone down $375 billion due to Beijing’s regulatory crackdown, which made it lose its spot on the top 10 list.
As of December 2021, Tencent’s market cap is still around $562 billion.
2. Tencent has spent more than $23.15 billion in acquisitions.
(Source: Tracxn)
How many companies does Tencent own?
The Chinese tech giant has invested in 609 companies and acquired a total of 25. Tencent’s most recent acquisitions include Sumo Digital and Stunlock Studios.
As for Tencent’s most profitable acquisition, on the other hand, that would probably be Riot Games (the company behind League of Legends). Tencent paid $400 million for 93% of its shares back in 2011 and then bought the remaining 7% in 2015.
Riot Games generated $1.75 billion in revenue just in 2020.
3. Over 85,000 people work for Tencent.
(Source: Statista)
Tencent’s employee count has been rapidly growing in the past couple of years. The company’s latest numbers reveal it employs 85,858 people.
Most Tencent employees work from the headquarters, which are located in Shenzhen, China; the rest operate from Tencent’s other workplaces across the world.
There are Tencent offices in eight other countries: the United States, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
4. The Tencent app store is home to no less than 36,755 apps.
(Source: 42 Matters)
Although the app store has 23 different categories, more than 30% of all apps fall under the Lifestyle, Tools, and Educations sections.
Fun fact: All the apps are free to download, though some of them require in-app purchases.
5. In 2018, 15% of the world’s total gaming revenue came from Tencent.
(Source: Pocket Gamer)
Tencent’s annual revenue reached $19.7 billion in 2018, which represented 15% of the total global gaming revenue ($134.9 billion).
Sony ($14.2 billion) and Microsoft ($9.8 billion) fell behind the Chinese company—at least in the gaming market.
Tencent's Market Share
Tencent is a global information and technology firm that creates goods and services to better people's lives all around the globe.
What are some of these goods, and how successful are they?
Let’s find out.
6. About 98% of Chinese netizens use a Tencent-owned app.
(Source: Business Insider)
Tencent’s domination of the Chinese market is astonishing.
Tencent stats reveal that more than half of the total time Chinese people spend on their mobile devices, they spend on Tencent apps. Specifically, WeChat accounts for 30% of the total mobile time.
7. WeChat has over 1.2 billion monthly active users.
(Source: Statista)
Tencent launched WeChat back in 2011. Tencent statistics show that WeChat (or Weixin, as it’s known in China) is the sixth biggest social networking platform in the world in terms of active users.
Apps like Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp (unsurprisingly) take the top spots on the list, each boasting more than two billion monthly active users.
8. Around 400 million people use WeChat Mini Programs every day.
(Source: China Internet Watch)
In 2020, over 100 million people used WeChat Mini Programs to purchase goods and products from shopping malls and department stores, whereas 300 million used it to acquire fresh produce.
All in all, approximately 863 million people use Mini Programs every month.
9. WeGame boasts over 200 million active users.
(Source: Google)
Tencent gaming statistics reveal that WeGame (formerly known as Tencent Games Platform) has over 4.5 billion downloads.
In early 2020, the platform had only 70 million active users, but thanks to the popularity of PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG) and Honor of Kings, WeGame attracted 140 million more gamers.
10. More than 130 million people use WeCom.
(Source: Tencent)
One of the best things about the corporate messaging platform is that it integrates with WeChat, Mini Programs, and Weixin Pay, providing a cohesive ecosystem for the user.
According to the latest Tencent statistics, the app currently serves over 5.5 million companies worldwide.
11. The number of Tencent Video premium subscribers reached 129 million.
(Source: Statista)
Tencent Video is one of the most popular streaming platforms in China. It continually adds new content, which keeps on drawing new members towards the Chinese equivalent of Netflix.
Recently, the platform added Crime Crackdown and You Are My Glory to its catalog—two Chinese small-screen blockbusters that attracted thousands of new subscribers.
12. VooV Meeting gathered 100 million users in less than a year.
(Source: ZDNet)
Tencent Meeting (or VooV Meeting, depending on where you are) is the fastest-growing video conferencing solution in the market. According to Tencent stats, the video meeting app reached the astronomical 100-million figure in just 245 days!
The solution is now available in over 100 countries, and its user base keeps on building—by mid-2021, it already boasted a 26% growth.
13. More than 60 million people pay for a Tencent Music (TME) subscription.
(Source: Musically)
The tech giant has massive success in the music industry as well. Taking a close look at Tencent statistics for 2022, only 10.6% of the platform’s user base has a premium subscription, which—although it doesn’t sound like much—is an upgrade from 2020’s figure, 7.2%.
TME’s revenue is around $1.24 billion.
And, speaking of which, do you want to know what other of Tencent’s revenue sources are?
We have you covered.
Tencent's Revenue
The company's numbers have been steadily growing over the last decade, proving to the world that Tencent is here to stay.
14. In Q3 2021, Tencent generated more than $22 billion in revenue.
(Source: CNBC)
The company continues to thrive—even throughout the pandemic—mainly thanks to the popularity of online games.
The revenue for the first two quarters of the year was around the same numbers ($20.6 billion and $21.7 billion, respectively), so Tencent’s annual revenue will probably surpass that of 2020 ($76 billion).
15. Tencent’s gaming segment generated nearly $12 billion in Q3 2021.
(Source: Tencent)
Honor of Kings, Call of Duty Mobile, Moonlight Blade Mobile, Valorant, and Clash of Clans, are the main games driving the segment’s growth, both in the Chinese and the international market.
16. Tencent generated $3.5 billion from ad revenue in 2021’s third quarter.
(Source: Tencent)
Tencent advertisement statistics show that there was a 5% year-on-year increase for this segment’s revenue.
The total of Tencent’s online advertising revenue has two segments:
- Social and Others – which includes the revenue from WeChat ads, for example. This category grew 7% year on year up to $3 billion.
- Media – which dropped by 4% compared to the previous year, amounting to just $0.5 billion. This category contemplates Tencent News ads.
17. JD generated $39.3 billion in Q2 2021.
(Source: JD)
To compete with the Chinese ecommerce tycoon, Alibaba, Tencent bought a 15% stake in JD.com.
Tencent’s ecommerce statistics reveal that JD’s revenue increased by 26.2% compared to 2020’s same period.
Tencent News
What are the company’s recent newsworthy events? What has Tencent been up to lately?
We have the highlights right here.
18. In 2020, Tencent established the Global Anti-Pandemic Fund.
(Source: Tencent)
Back when the pandemic was in its early stages, Tencent pledged $100 million to the fight against COVID-19.
The funds were mostly destined towards protective equipment, medical supplies, and other products that hospitals needed.
19. PUBG and Honor of Kings are the top-grossing games worldwide.
(Source: Statista)
In terms of revenue, PUBG and Honor of Kings are by far the most popular Tencent mobile games. Tencent stats show that the former generated $1.7 billion in 2020, whereas the latter followed close behind with a $1.4 billion revenue.
However, the tables turned in 2021. Honor of Kings made it to the top of the list in June, boasting $265 million in monthly player spending, whereas PUBG fell behind with $258 million.
20. Tencent is going all-in for carbon neutrality.
(Source: China Dialogue)
Following China’s announcement regarding the nation’s carbon neutrality goal (net-zero emissions by 2060), the company made its own pledge to battle climate change.
Tencent made news when it divulged its carbon neutrality plan in January 2021, which includes a 100% renewable energy goal for 2030. Innovations such as liquid-cooling and waste-heat recycling technologies will be the core of the company’s strategy.
21. Ma Huateng is among the top five wealthiest men in China.
(Source: Forbes)
Ma Huateng (aka Pony Ma) is Tencent’s founder, chairman, and CEO. His net worth is currently $49.1 billion—which frankly isn’t all that surprising, considering Tencent is China’s biggest company.
Pony Ma is also number four on the list of China’s richest men, right after Zhong Shanshan (Nongfu Spring, $65.9 billion), Zhang Yiming (TikTok, $59.4 billion), and Robin Zeng (CATL, $50.8 billion).
Wrap Up
Games, social media, ecommerce, food delivery—it seems there’s little Tencent won’t delve into when it comes to technology.
But if these Tencent stats prove anything, it's that whatever the company is doing, it's undoubtedly working. So, be sure to keep an eye out for Tencent’s next move.
Unaware that life beyond the internet exists, Nick is poking servers and control panels, playing with WordPress add-ons, and helping people get the hosting that suits them.
