In 2024, China reported adding 16 million new users to its massive 1.1 billion internet population. The first half-year data in 2024 revealed that nearly half of the new internet users were between 10 and 18 years old, while a third were older adults aged above 50 years. The largest online community In 2023, China accounted for about one-fifth of the 5.5 billion internet users worldwide. However, compared to its total population, China’s internet penetration rate is lower than in other Asian countries. Penetration rates in both South Korea and Japan were extensively higher. The market potentials Internet usage in China is further characterized by a large regional discrepancy. In rural regions, the internet access rate is much lower than the national level. On the other side, the Chinese market became a mobile-first nation. Since 2014, more Chinese people have accessed the internet via mobile device than computers. The number of mobile internet users in China increased steadily over the previous decade.

As of 2024, about 78.6 percent of the Chinese population had used the internet. The penetration rate denotes the share of the population that has access to a certain communication medium. Internet coverage in China For comparison, the global average internet penetration rate had resided at about 67.9 percent as of February 2025. The internet penetration in China had also been above the average rate in the Asia-Pacific countries. However, neighbor countries such as Japan and South Korea have displayed substantially higher internet penetration rates than China. It is worth noting that the internet usage in the country has faced a large regional disparity. Some of the remote western regions had shown penetration rates of below 45 percent. Chinese online population Over the past decade, the number of Chinese internet users has grown at a remarkable pace. By December 2024, the total amount of internet users in the world's second most populous country had amounted to approximately 1,108 million, up from 772 million at the end of 2017. Apart from extended access to broadband internet connections, mobile internet took up a large share in internet user growth. The share of users accessing the internet via mobile device had significantly exceeded that of those via desktop in the country. About 99.9 percent of Chinese internet users accessed the web via mobile phone.

As of February 2025, China ranked first among the countries with the most internet users worldwide. The world's most populated country had 1.11 billion internet users, more than triple the third-ranked United States, with just around 322 million internet users. Overall, all BRIC markets had over two billion internet users, accounting for four of the ten countries with more than 100 million internet users. Worldwide internet usage As of October 2024, there were more than five billion internet users worldwide. There are, however, stark differences in user distribution according to region. Eastern Asia is home to 1.34 billion internet users, while African and Middle Eastern regions had lower user figures. Moreover, the urban areas showed a higher percentage of internet access than rural areas. Internet use in China China ranks first in the list of countries with the most internet users. Due to its ongoing and fast-paced economic development and a cultural inclination towards technology, more than a billion of the estimated 1.4 billion population in China are online. As of the third quarter of 2023, around 87 percent of Chinese internet users stated using WeChat, the most popular social network in the country. On average, Chinese internet users spent five hours and 33 minutes online daily.

In December 2024, almost 975 million people used the internet for online shopping, around 87.9 percent of internet users in China. The country has a huge smartphone user base, driving the growth of the mobile app sector.

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China Internet Service: Internet Penetration Rate: Rural data was reported at 65.600 % in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 63.800 % for Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Internet Penetration Rate: Rural data is updated semiannually, averaging 35.950 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.500 % in Dec 2023 and a record low of 7.400 % in Dec 2007. China Internet Service: Internet Penetration Rate: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Internet Market Size. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.

Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share: All Platforms: Mixi data was reported at 0.000 % in 25 May 2024. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for 24 May 2024. Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share: All Platforms: Mixi data is updated daily, averaging 0.000 % from May 2024 (Median) to 25 May 2024, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.060 % in 22 May 2024 and a record low of 0.000 % in 25 May 2024. Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share: All Platforms: Mixi data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statcounter Global Stats. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong SAR (China) – Table HK.SC.IU: Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share.

China Internet Service: Internet Penetration Rate data was reported at 78.600 % in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 78.000 % for Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Internet Penetration Rate data is updated semiannually, averaging 44.950 % from Jun 2002 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 46 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 78.600 % in Dec 2024 and a record low of 3.600 % in Jun 2002. China Internet Service: Internet Penetration Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Number of Internet User and Penetration Rate. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.

In December 2024, about 17 percent of internet users in China were under 20 years old, whereas those aged above 50 years accounted for 24 percent. The country has a huge mobile user base, driving the growth of the mobile app sector.

China Internet Service: Number of User: Online Music data was reported at 747.950 Person mn in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 729.140 Person mn for Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Number of User: Online Music data is updated semiannually, averaging 501.755 Person mn from Jun 2007 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 36 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 747.950 Person mn in Dec 2024 and a record low of 110.970 Person mn in Jun 2007. China Internet Service: Number of User: Online Music data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Purpose of Internet Usage. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.

Individuals using the Internet (% of population) in China was reported at 77.5 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Individuals using the Internet (% of population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

As of December 2024, about 48.9 percent of internet users in China were female. This closely aligned with the gender ratio of the overall resident population.

China Internet Service: Number of Internet User: Mobile Phone data was reported at 1,104.750 Person mn in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,096.000 Person mn for Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Number of Internet User: Mobile Phone data is updated semiannually, averaging 606.690 Person mn from Jun 2006 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,104.750 Person mn in Dec 2024 and a record low of 13.000 Person mn in Jun 2006. China Internet Service: Number of Internet User: Mobile Phone data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Internet Market Size. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.

Revenue for the Internet Services industry is expected to increase at an annualized rate of 7.9% over the five years through 2025 to $435.9 billion. The number of internet users in China has increased rapidly over the period. The COVID-19 outbreak in China drove market demand for internet services. The pandemic situation in China was serious in 2020, and revenue for the Internet Services industry increased rapidly during this period.Although the profit margins of listed companies are high, they have been declining as competition has intensified and prices have decreased. In 2025, profit is estimated at 12.6% of industry revenue due to substantial research and development (R&D) investments and much higher wage costs.The information services segment has become more important to the industry over the past five years. As digital transformation accelerates across industries, information services provide technology support for businesses to automate, increase efficiency and improve customer experience. The development of technologies like big data, cloud computing and AI has significantly improved the quality and efficiency of information services, prompting more enterprises to adopt these services.According to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), the number of internet users in China totaled 1.09 billion in June of 2024. The internet penetration rate has reached 77.5%. As more well-known international enterprises enter the industry, competition will intensify further and result in better consumer service.Industry revenue is forecast to increase at an annualized 3.3% over the five years through 2030, to reach $511.6 billion in 2030. Strong revenue growth will be mainly due to internet coverage expanding substantially in China and thriving advertising services boosted by e-commerce.

China Internet Service: Number of Internet User: Rural data was reported at 313.000 Person mn in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 304.000 Person mn for Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Number of Internet User: Rural data is updated semiannually, averaging 193.175 Person mn from Dec 2006 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 36 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 326.000 Person mn in Dec 2023 and a record low of 23.110 Person mn in Dec 2006. China Internet Service: Number of Internet User: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Internet Market Size. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.

China Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Male data was reported at 51.100 % in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 50.800 % for Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Male data is updated semiannually, averaging 55.100 % from Dec 1997 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 92.800 % in Jun 1998 and a record low of 50.800 % in Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Internet User Structure. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.

Weekly internet usage in China has been gradually increasing. In December 2024, internet users in China spent on average 28.7 hours per week online, which equals to slightly over four hours of daily online time.

Fixed broadband subscriptions in China was reported at 636000000 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Fixed broadband Internet subscribers - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

China Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Age Over 60 data was reported at 14.100 % in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.300 % for Jun 2024. China Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Age Over 60 data is updated semiannually, averaging 3.950 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.600 % in Dec 2023 and a record low of 0.700 % in Dec 2011. China Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Age Over 60 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Internet User Structure. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.

CN: Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Age 40 to 49 data was reported at 17.100 % in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 16.700 % for Jun 2024. CN: Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Age 40 to 49 data is updated semiannually, averaging 13.300 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.100 % in Jun 2022 and a record low of 8.100 % in Dec 2007. CN: Internet Service: Internet User Structure: Age 40 to 49 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by China Internet Network Information Center. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Information and Communication Sector – Table CN.ICE: Internet: Internet User Structure. Affected by the COVID-19, the data cut-off time for the 2019 is March 2020.