Know Your Audience Weixin by Tencent originated in China and East Asia in 2011 Weixin, owned by Tencent and launched in China in 2011, is a social media platform similar to WhatsApp in the U.S. Weixin rolled out its product by defining its audience, targeting young, urban smartphone users. The app started by allowing users to share messages, news, and pictures on their mobile phones. Successful, Tencent expanded its business model by creating WeChat, a worldwide platform, in