Introduction

WeChat Statistics: WeChat, developed by Tencent in China and launched in 2011, is a multi-functional app that seamlessly combines messaging, social media, and mobile payment services. Originally designed as a messaging platform similar to WhatsApp, WeChat quickly evolved into a comprehensive “super app†that enables users to communicate, make payments, and access a wide array of services, such as shopping, ride-hailing, and booking appointments. With over 1.37 billion monthly active users as of June 2024, WeChat has achieved remarkable penetration in China, capturing about 80% of the population and integrating into daily life as an essential tool.

A key feature that sets WeChat apart is its Mini Programs, which allow third-party developers to create applications within WeChat’s ecosystem, enabling users to perform various tasks without leaving the app. This functionality has transformed mobile usage in China, making WeChat a central hub for commerce, social interactions, and more, with an 88% daily usage rate recorded in 2020 and an 89% penetration rate for Mini Programs by 2022.

Its features, such as WeChat Pay, QR codes, and in-app marketing tools, have become essential for businesses, driving customer engagement and sales. However, as WeChat faces regulatory challenges and growing competition from other apps like Douyin, Tencent continues to innovate with new features to retain its super app status. WeChat’s development into a multi-dimensional platform underscores its role as a key player in China's digital economy and its potential to influence global app ecosystems.

In November 2024, Google.com was the most popular website worldwide with 136 billion average monthly visits. The online platform has held the top spot as the most popular website since June 2010, when it pulled ahead of Yahoo into first place. Second-ranked YouTube generated more than 72.8 billion monthly visits in the measured period. The internet leaders: search, social, and e-commerce Social networks, search engines, and e-commerce websites shape the online experience as we know it. While Google leads the global online search market by far, YouTube and Facebook have become the world’s most popular websites for user generated content, solidifying Alphabet’s and Meta’s leadership over the online landscape. Meanwhile, websites such as Amazon and eBay generate millions in profits from the sale and distribution of goods, making the e-market sector an integral part of the global retail scene. What is next for online content? Powering social media and websites like Reddit and Wikipedia, user-generated content keeps moving the internet’s engines. However, the rise of generative artificial intelligence will bring significant changes to how online content is produced and handled. ChatGPT is already transforming how online search is performed, and news of Google's 2024 deal for licensing Reddit content to train large language models (LLMs) signal that the internet is likely to go through a new revolution. While AI's impact on the online market might bring both opportunities and challenges, effective content management will remain crucial for profitability on the web.

As of February 2025, India was the country with the largest YouTube audience by far, with approximately 491 million users engaging with the popular social video platform. The United States followed, with around 253 million YouTube viewers. Brazil came in third, with 144 million users watching content on YouTube. The United Kingdom saw around 54.8 million internet users engaging with the platform in the examined period. What country has the highest percentage of YouTube users? In July 2024, the United Arab Emirates was the country with the highest YouTube penetration worldwide, as around 94 percent of the country's digital population engaged with the service. In 2024, YouTube counted around 100 million paid subscribers for its YouTube Music and YouTube Premium services. YouTube mobile markets In 2024, YouTube was among the most popular social media platforms worldwide. In terms of revenues, the YouTube app generated approximately 28 million U.S. dollars in revenues in the United States in January 2024, as well as 19 million U.S. dollars in Japan.