WeChat communication system, owned by Chinese technology giant Tencent, participated in the test of the digital yuan (e-CNY). Users of the application from the regions of the pilot program can use the tool as a means of payment.

to deal with CBDC, WeChat users need to submit an appropriate application to WeBank neobank. The latter is also owned by Tencent.

Earlier, the People’s Bank of China announced the expansion of its e-CNY testing program. The initiative currently includes: Shenzhen, Suzhou, Xiong’an, Chengdu, Shanghai, Hainan, Changsha, Xi’an, Qingdao, Dalian, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen and six cities in Zhejiang province that hosted the Asian Games.

According to Statista, as of January 2022, more than 1.2 billion people use WeChat. In February 2021, it was reported that the WeBank app subsidiary was one of the first to participate in the pilot test of the digital yuan.

Recall that the Chinese food delivery company Meituan allowed partner merchants to accept e-CNY in January 2022. Users were promised discount coupons to pay for orders using the tool.