Tencent's Weixin Brand Protection Platform Sees Significant Success In Tackling Counterfeiting
Tencent's Weixin Brand Protection Platform Sees Significant Success In Tackling Counterfeiting
Tencent’s Weixin Brand Protection Platform has issued nearly 180,000 takedown notices and penalized over 41,500 infringing accounts since its launch in 2015.
Tencent has reported major strides in its intellectual property protection efforts through its Weixin Brand Protection Platform, a key initiative launched in 2015 to counteract counterfeiting and IP violations within Weixin (WeChat in China). With over one billion users, Weixin remains central to Tencent’s mission of enhancing digital security and building a trustworthy ecosystem for businesses and consumers.
To date, the platform has issued close to 180,000 takedown notices, with an overwhelming 98% initiated by user reports. More than 41,500 infringing accounts have been penalized, and over 158,000 counterfeit livestreaming rooms have been shut down — three times more than those reported directly by brands.
The platform’s automated systems have proven highly effective, identifying and removing 82% of penalized livestreams before user intervention. Beyond digital actions, Tencent has actively collaborated with brands and law enforcement to tackle counterfeit operations offline, supporting 29 major cases in 2024 alone — a 20% increase in volume and a 15% rise in value, totaling US$300 million in seized goods and identifying 190 suspects.
With 640+ brands now using the platform across 30 industries and 20 countries, up from 579 in 2023, Tencent's brand protection initiatives continue to scale. The company’s efforts have garnered international recognition — WeChat was recently named the world’s strongest brand by Brand Finance, and Tencent ranked among the top global innovators by Clarivate.
Danny Marti, Tencent’s Head of Global Public Policy, commented, “These efforts help brands connect with consumers more confidently, while advancing the authentic experiences that power the global digital economy.”
The evolution of the Weixin Brand Protection Platform underscores the critical role of cooperation among tech companies, brand owners, and authorities in curbing intellectual property infringements across both online and offline environments.
