QQ is a Chinese instant messaging and social platform developed by Tencent (the same company that owns WeChat). It first came out in 1999 as OICQ, which stands for Open ICQ. People often compare QQ to early messengers like ICQ or MSN Messenger, but QQ has grown into much more than just a chat app. It's a huge ecosystem that includes gaming, music, shopping, payments, and more.
Key facts about QQ
QQ's user base is predominantly young, making it a highly valuable platform for social media marketing. Understanding its demographics and other statistics can make marketing much more effective.
Tencent QQ engages 532 million monthly users in Q2 2025
As of June 30, 2025, Tencent QQ had 532 million monthly active users (MAU) on mobile devices. QQ is one of China's most important social networks, serving hundreds of millions of users with messaging, entertainment, and digital content services.
Tencent QQ user demographics overview
QQ is very popular among teens, college students, and young adults all over China. The majority of QQ users are under the age of 24, reflecting its continued strength in student communities, gaming culture, and interest-based social groups. Because it is so closely tied to gaming and digital entertainment, the platform also has a slightly male audience.
QQ is popular across the country, but it is most active in tier-2, tier-3, and lower-tier cities, where younger users use it to talk to each other, work together in groups, and share multimedia. QQ is a great way for brands to reach young, tech-savvy consumers and digital natives.
QQ vs. WeChat
Tencent QQ and WeChat are two popular Chinese social media platforms. They each have their own unique features and user bases. QQ, which came out in 1999, resonates most with younger audiences. It has a lot of great features, like group chats, voice and video calls, file sharing, gaming, and streaming music online. As of mid-2025, QQ has about 532 million mobile active users (MAU). Its main focus is on social networking and entertainment services.
WeChat, on the other hand, is a more complete app that combines messaging with a variety of other services, such as mobile payments, social media, e-commerce, and more. People of all ages use WeChat, but it is especially popular with people who want an app that can do a lot of different things and help them with their daily tasks. WeChat is a major player in the Chinese market, with more than 1.4 billion monthly active users as of mid-2025.
Key features of Tencent QQ (mobile & desktop)
Instant messaging (IM): QQ's main feature is real-time text chat, which lets you talk to one person or a group of people on both PC and mobile devices. In chats, people can send text, voice notes, pictures, emojis, and stickers. They can also make big group chats to talk to friends or coworkers.
Voice and video calls: QQ lets you make high-quality voice and video calls on both desktop and mobile devices. The app supports one-on-one and multi-person calls, offering HD audio and group video chats between friends or meeting participants.
File sharing and cloud storage: QQ has great file-sharing and cloud storage features that let you share documents, pictures, videos, and more. Users can easily move large files between devices, like from a PC to a phone and back again, by dragging and dropping them or using "point-to-point" transfer.
QQ Space (QZone): QQ is also a social network through QQ Space (QZone). Each user has a profile page or "space" where they can post status updates, write blog-style diaries, and share photos or short videos with friends. Like Facebook's feed, friends can comment on and "like" posts. This social feed is built right into QQ, so for example, your friend's latest QQ Space photo album shows up in your news feed. This makes QQ a place to both message and share.
Customisation and avatars: QQ puts a lot of emphasis on making things personal. Users can make or buy cartoon avatars, which are often called "QQ avatars," and add themes and virtual accessories to their profiles.
These customisation options give QQ's look and feel a fun and unique touch, which is especially appealing to young Chinese users who like to make their online presence their own.
Integration of gaming: QQ is a Tencent product, so it works very well with China's gaming ecosystem. You can use your QQ account to log into a lot of online games. QQ's interface often has a Game Centre that shows Tencent's most popular games. QQ connects social features in games. For instance, players can talk to QQ friends in games or trade virtual items through QQ.
Mobile services and QQ Wallet: QQ has financial and utility tools on mobile. With the QQ Wallet (Tenpay) feature, people can pay bills, shop online, and send money right from the app. QQ Wallet works in a similar way to WeChat Pay. It lets you pay with QR codes, add money to your phone, and send money to other people.
How do people use QQ for marketing?
Tencent QQ boasts 532 million monthly users, providing brands with tools such as targeted ads and KOL partnerships to engage younger audiences. With QQ Space's interactive and native ads, campaigns can blend in with users' feeds without any problems.
QQ's focus on gaming, entertainment, and premium memberships lets them run immersive ads. At the same time, cross-platform integration with Tencent services, such as WeChat, expands its reach across social media, messaging, and e-commerce.
Key marketing strategies on Tencent QQ
Targeted advertising: QQ's platform lets brands send very personalised ads based on user data, demographics, and interests. QQ's intelligent-match algorithm can help you get the most out of your ads, which can be pop-up ads, banner ads, full-screen ads, or app wall ads.
Partnerships with influencers and KOLs: Brands work with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and influencers who are popular with QQ's younger users to build trust and reach.
Interactive and native ads: QQ Space (QZone) has native social ads that are built into users' newsfeeds. This lets brands promote activities, apps, products, and stores in a way that feels natural and interesting. These ads let people leave comments, watch video stories, and do other things that get them more involved.
In-game and entertainment marketing: QQ is great for in-game advertising and partnerships because it focuses on gaming and entertainment. Brands can pay to have their products featured in games, put them into virtual worlds, or use QQ's AR technology to create immersive experiences.
Membership and personalisation: Tencent has premium memberships that come with special features that make users want to use them more. Brands can use these features for advertising, like giving members custom backgrounds or access to exclusive content.
Cross-platform integration: QQ campaigns can be linked to other Tencent platforms, like WeChat. This makes it easier to switch between messaging, social media, and e-commerce.
