Launched in 2011, WeChat (or Weixin in Chinese) began as an instant messaging app and, by 2023, boasts 1.36 billion monthly active users—nearly matching the entire population of China. Renowned globally as a super app, its features have even caught the attention of Elon Musk. In the debut episode of #ChinaExplained, we explore the origins of #WeChat and its rise to dominance in the Chinese market over the past decade.