Insights into the international social app market run by Chinese technology companies
Date : March 30 , 2025
1. Overview
TikTok , WeChat , and Xiaohongshu ( RED ), operated by Chinese technology companies , have achieved remarkable results on a global scale and are developing differently in the Japanese market. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the number of users, market share, key performance indicators, and future trends of these three apps in the Japanese and global markets, and examines the challenges and opportunities they face.
2. TikTok : A global leader in short videos
2.1 Global track record
· Number of Users: TikTok 's global monthly active users are expected to exceed 2.5 billion by 2025, giving it a market share of approximately 25% , second only to Facebook .
· Major Markets: India ( 650 million ), United States ( 136 million ) , and Brazil ( 91.75 million) are TikTok 's major markets.
· User engagement: On average, users spend 95 minutes per day on the platform, significantly more than Instagram ( 60 minutes) and Snapchat ( 48 minutes).
· Revenue: Advertising revenue is projected to reach $ 18 billion in 2024.
2.2 Performance in the Japanese market
· Number of users: TikTok has over 20 million users in Japan and has even been ranked number one in downloads on the App Store .
· User growth: The number of young users is increasing rapidly, and the app is extremely popular among young people.
· Content Ecosystem: Covering diverse fields such as music, dance, comedy, and gourmet food, the company actively integrates with Japanese culture and develops localized functions and events.
· Brand Collaborations: We work with local Japanese brands to increase the influence of our platform through celebrity and influencer marketing.
2.3 Future trends and challenges
· Trends: The user base is expected to continue to expand, leading to further content innovation and e-commerce functions.
· Challenges: They face strong competition from other social platforms and must navigate regulatory policies and user privacy and security concerns.
3. WeChat: One-stop service for global expansion
3.1 Global track record
· Number of Users: WeChat and its international counterpart WeChat have a combined total of over 1.2 billion monthly active users, with the Chinese market dominating.
· Major markets: China ( 1.2 billion people), Malaysia ( 20 million people), America ( 12 million people).
· Feature Usage: WeChat Pay is widely used in China, but its penetration rate in overseas markets is low.
3.2 Performance in the Japanese market
· Payment scenarios: Covers a wide range of scenarios, including airports, department stores, retail stores, transportation hubs, drugstores, and electronics retailers.
· Mini app service: The number of monthly active users exceeds 1 million, and the transaction amount of Chinese users visiting Japan increased by 59% compared to six months ago ( the six-month period from mid-2024 to early 2025 ) .
· Merchant collaboration: We partner with Japanese businesses to provide digital experiences to Chinese tourists.
· Transportation and Tourism: Tokyo Metro, Tokyo Skytree, Haneda Airport, and more support WeChat Pay and mini app services.
3.3 Future trends and challenges
· Trend: WeChat Pay is scheduled to be supported at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo , which will further expand the service scene.
· Challenge: WeChat Pay needs to increase adoption in overseas markets and address information security issues.
4. RED : Lifestyle sharing explorer
4.1 Global track record
· Number of users: The number of global users is on the rise, with particular growth seen in Southeast Asia and Europe and the United States.
· Key markets: United States ( 3.4 million daily active users), Malaysia ( 1.5 million), Singapore ( 550,000 ).
· Content Ecosystem: Focus on lifestyle sharing including food, travel, fashion, and beauty.
4.2 Performance in the Japanese market
· Market Attempts: The company has launched several products like Uniik , Takib , S'more App etc. but none of them have achieved the expected success.
· User base: While a certain user base exists, it is difficult to recreate the characteristics of a community from scratch.
· Competitive Environment: We face stiff competition in sectors such as fashion and beauty.
4.3 Future trends and challenges
· Trends: They will continue to explore ways to enter the Japanese market and adjust their strategies to meet the needs of local users.
· Challenge: We need to break the limitations of vertical communities and increase brand awareness.
5. Summary and Recommendations
5.1 Summary
· TikTok has been a standout performer in the Japanese market, with a rapidly growing user base, a rich content ecosystem, and extensive brand collaborations.
· WeChat provides services in the Japanese market through payments and mini-apps, but it needs to further increase its penetration in overseas markets.
· Xiaohongshu has made multiple attempts in the Japanese market without success, and needs to adjust its strategy to meet the needs of local users.
5.2 Recommendations
· TikTok : Continue to innovate content formats, strengthen user privacy protections, and expand e-commerce features.
· WeChat : Increase the penetration rate of payment functions in overseas markets and strengthen collaboration with local businesses.
· Little Red Book: Deeply research the needs of Japanese users and explore differentiated competitive strategies.
appendix
· Data source: open market reports, platform official data, industry analysis.
· Report Creation: Based on the latest market trends as of March 30 , 2025 .
The report provides comprehensive insights into the performance of TikTok , WeChat and Xiaohongshu in the Japanese and global markets, providing useful information for companies to make decisions and formulate market strategies.