WeChat in China: All you need to know

In this article we’re going to explain the basics of what you need to know about Wechat, such as: What is Wechat? Is WeChat the same as Weixin? Do I need WeChat? How to download and install Wechat. How to register as a WeChat user - inside and outside China.

We are also going to introduce you to Wise at the end of this article. Wise is a professional international money transfer provider which can help expats in China to transfer funds, salary and other legal income back home or to other countries.

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Table of contents

What is WeChat? Is WeChat commonly used in China? Why is WeChat so popular in China? 1.Useful mini-programs 2.Free text/voice/image/video messaging 3.Multi-language settings and translation functions 4. WeChat free image video posting 5. WeChat Red Packets gifting 6. WeChat Pay¹² Transferring money out of China using Wise Is WeChat available in all countries?⁶ Do I need to register a WeChat account if I relocate to China? How to register/sign up a WeChat account?⁹ What do you need to sign up to WeChat? Can I delete my WeChat account when leaving China?¹¹ Is WeChat safe?¹³ Send money out of China using Wise

What is WeChat?

WeChat launched in 2011 a free social media and instant messaging and chat app for smartphones that enables free video and voice calls, sending videos, photos, text and voice messages to help you stay connected with the people who matter to you most.¹

WeChat became the world's largest standalone mobile app in 2018 with over 1 billion monthly active users. Initial release date: January 21, 2011. Developer: Tencent, Allen Zhang. Available in: 17 languages OS: Android, HarmonyOS (for watch and bands), iOS, macOS, Windows.⁴

Tencent's WeChat active accounts have been increasing steadily. By end of June 2023, WeChat’s multi-functional media platform had over 1.3 billion monthly active users.

Is WeChat commonly used in China?

Practically everyone in China uses WeChat, with over 1 Billion regular monthly users, as well as an ever-growing number of international users. In China people use Wechat for instant, seamless, multi-faceted communication but also for a plethora of other functions and uses. ³

Wechat is now an all-encompassing must-have, go-to app for daily life in China. Developed, supported and backed-up by one of the world’s most financially stable and valuable companies: Tencent.

So what is Tencent then? Tencent is the world's largest video game vendor, as well as one of the most financially valuable companies. It is among the largest social media, venture capital, and investment corporations. Services include social networks, music, web portals, e-commerce, mobile games, internet services, payment systems, smartphones, and multiplayer online games. It operates the instant messengers Tencent QQ, WeChat, and QQ.com. ²

Tencent / Wechat Milestones (2013) ⁵

• Became the world's largest online game developer and publisher by revenue
• Officially launched Tencent Cloud services
• Launched Weixin Pay, and mobile game centers at Weixin and QQ
• S&P upgraded Tencent Holdings' credit rating to A-

Why is WeChat so popular in China?

WeChat is equally useful for any individual, enterprise or business to sell products and services as much as for purchasing and buying. Yes, Wechat is now ubiquitous in China.

1.Useful mini-programs

There are now also all kinds of ‘mini-programs’ which are cloud-based and operate after scanning QR codes to facilitate use, for example: for taxi hailing, food ordering, health checks and tests, hospitals, security checks, and so on. WeChat’s universal connectivity in daily life is unparalleled. ⁷

2.Free text/voice/image/video messaging

WeChat offers free text, voice, image and video messaging, plus free voice and video calling. You can use Wechat like other social media and there are some ‘sticky content’ videos from user and official channels. The ‘sticky content’ is there if you want to indulge in news, videos or games but it doesn’t interfere with or disrupt the interface. The user interface and how it functions is extremely well thought-out. You can also share your location directly to your friends in real-time like sending a message.

3.Multi-language settings and translation functions

These functions cover everything from QR code scans, to converting voice to text and text to voice, translating text, and scans and translations of text, even scans photos from your phone and real-world items.

You can use WeChat while shopping, to scan and translate product descriptions. You can also use Wechat to scan just about any item and Wechat will offer alternative suggestions. Wechat will even everyday objects, plants,and other wildlife for help with identifying!

4. WeChat free image video posting

WeChat has a save and show ‘moments’ section for posting photos and videos, video editing functionality, and comprehensive linking, liking, sharing, commenting and updates.

You can create your own friend circles and personal interest WeChat groups, and of course there are many WeChat interest groups and newsgroups as well as news feeds and interest feeds which are updated round-the-clock.

Interestingly, commercial advertising is still kept down to a bare minimum and is comparatively unobtrusive.

5. WeChat Red Packets gifting

During Chinese New Year most people send each other ‘Hong Bao’ or Red Packets, New Year gifts, and when WeChat added this function it was instantly popular and Wechat became universally accepted - a master stroke of marketing mixing with utilitarian functionality!

According to Tencent’s own data, in 2015, during Chinese Spring Festival in February, over 1 billion Weixin ‘red packets’ were exchanged on Chinese New Year eve. We’re now in 2023 so you can imagine the growth of WeChat since then.⁸

6. WeChat Pay¹²

Linked to a bank card and to money transfers in to your Wechat pay via QR and Rewards codes. You decide how much of your own money to transfer into your Wechat pay wallet by transferring from a linked bank card. You can also withdraw money back to your bank cards. WeChat has a myriad of financial functions, quite comprehensive money-oriented facilities:

• Money transfers
• Bank to bank card transfers
• Ordering food delivery, pay for restaurant booking.Bill-sharing and splitting.Paying utility and credit card bills
• Charity donations
• Share Bike Hiring - Scan and Go
• Groceries, general shopping and Online Retail, Food, Restaurants, Bill sharing
• Event tickets
• Selling your own products and services
• Buying and selling used (second-hand) goods
• Flash sales
• Insurance
• Public services
• Housing and accommodation
• Hotel booking Taxi hailing Rail and Flight booking

WeChat Help Centre has a comprehensive list of WeChat features and functions here.

You can link Wise debit card to WeChat now!

Recent news is that now it’s also possible to link foreign credit cards like Visa and Mastercard to WeChat and Weixin.
Generally, you can pay with your Wise visa or Mastercard, and withdraw cash from an ATM in most countries where Visa/Mastercards are accepted, including China. And now Wise debit card can be added to WeChat wallet. Here are the steps, it’s quite easy.

1. Got to WeChat “Me”
2. Click “Wallet”
3. “Bank Card”
4. Select from the bank card list

Fill your card informationIt’s simply impractical to attempt to cover everything that Wechat can do in one article!

We’ll be publishing more on WeChat’s functionality and utilities in another article.

Transferring money out of China using Wise

Founded in 2011, Wise is an international money transfer provider servicing 16 million happy customers globally. You can use Wise to send money to over 160 countries in the world. For expats living and working in China, Wise can be a helpful tool to transfer your legal earnings in CNY to your own bank account abroad now. Simply register for a Wise account and download the App, you can complete this with your smartphone, no need to go through Chinese banks.

Learn more about how Wise works in China, such as our transfer limits, who can register for Wise and how long it takes for you to receive money etc. Please read this: Does Wise work in China?

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

Please also be informed that Wise in China is operating under a local partner’s license.

Is WeChat available in all countries?⁶

WeChat is available in over 200 countries and regions worldwide. WeChat supports signing up with and linking mobile numbers from over 200 countries and regions, including the United States, Indonesia, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan and Macao SAR. WeChat is accessible via your mobile's data network as well as on Wi-Fi so you can connect with anyone around the world.

Do I need to register a WeChat account if I relocate to China

It’s up to you! If you register as a user of WeChat with a non-mainland China phone number you’ll be using the international version of Weixin which is known as WeChat.

If you register with a China mainland phone you can register as a Weixin user with the immediate benefits of Tencent’s payment and transaction facilities.

How to register/sign up a WeChat account?⁹

After downloading and installing WeChat on your mobile phone, using the same methods you would use for any app, you can sign up for WeChat in the following ways:

1. Sign up with mobile

• Open the WeChat app and tap Sign Up
• Sign up with mobile
• Choose your region code
• Enter your mobile
• Set a password

1. Sign up via Facebook

• Open the WeChat app and tap Sign Up
• Sign up via Facebook, and then WeChat will redirect to Facebook to request permission to log in to WeChat
• Choose your region code
• Enter your mobile
• Set a password

Notes:

1. Only one mobile phone number can only be used for creating one WeChat account.
2. If you are required, to have another WeChat user help you, register for WeChat by scanning a QR Code.
3. If you register with a foreign number your WeChat account might be limited in some payment and funds transfer functions and setting up a WeChat channel or enterprise account, Wechat video channel or business account etc.

What do you need to sign up to WeChat?

A WeChat account must be verified by an existing WeChat or Weixin user. To be able to verify your account, the user must meet certain conditions. The user must have:¹⁰

1. Signed up to WeChat more than six months ago
2. Activated WeChat Pay — a mobile payment app developed by WeChat (if the friend is in China)
3. Not verified another WeChat user in the past month (a user can verify a maximum of three accounts per year)
4. Not been blocked by other users in the past month

Can I delete my WeChat account when leaving China?¹¹

Yes. You can delete your WeChat account when you want. Here are the steps:

1. Log in to WeChat
2. Click request account deletion in “Me”
3. Click “Settings”
4. Click “Account Security”
5. Then go to “WeChat Security Center”
6. Choose “Account Cancellation”

However there are things you have to know when deleting WeChat account:

1. If the system prompts "Unable to Cancel", please troubleshoot with the possible reasons shown and try again.
2. The data of your account will be permanently deleted after cancellation which is irreversible, and your Wechat ID can no longer be used again.
3. Your account will be automatically logged out after the cancellation request is successfully submitted. To cancel your account deletion, log into your Wechat account within 60 days after submitting your application. After 60 days, your account and all your information will be permanently deleted, and you won't be able to retrieve your information. Meanwhile, you can still freeze your account after requesting for a deletion. The freezing operation will not interrupt the cancellation progress.
4. Please read the Important Notice carefully before cancellation to reduce the inconvenience it may cause.

Is WeChat safe?¹³

According to WeChat’s own words and privacy policies.Their user privacy and data protection are our top priorities. ‘WeChat considers user privacy and data protection not just our company's responsibility, but also a key part of our users' experience.’

“WeChat securely encrypts your sent and received messages between our servers and your device to help prevent unauthorized third parties from intercepting your messages as they are being delivered over the internet. WeChat uses industry-standard encryption practices and technologies, including specifically the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256, to protect the security and confidentiality of data during transit and at rest. The AES algorithm was and remains approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to encrypt U.S. federal sensitive (unclassified) information. AES-256 uses 256 bits to encrypt data and is currently the maximum available under the AES algorithm (as compared to AES-128 and AES-192).”

Send money out of China using Wise

Wise has a Wise App available in English which you can download in the Apple store or Google Play. This can save you a lot of time going to Chinese banks, communicating with staff who may not speak English well, and filling out the forms etc. With Wise, you only have to verify your identity in our Application and you are all set to make your transfers.

Send money use Wise now

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Sources:

1. WeChat help: What is WeChat
2. Wiki: What is Tencent
3. Statista: how many people use WeChat
4. Wiki: WeChat data
5. Tencent: Tencent milestones 2013
6. WeChat help: WeChat availability in countries
7. WeChat help: mini-program
8. Tencent: Wechat red packet data
9. WeChat help: how to sign up
10. WeChat help: how to verify your wechat account
11. WeChat help: delete WeChat account
12. WeChat help: WeChat pay features
13. WeChat help: WeChat privacy policies