TECH

Tencent Profit Rises 16% as Overseas Games, Cloud Gain Traction

Published: Mar. 18, 2026 11:09 p.m. GMT+8

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International markets were a bright spot for Tencent’s gaming business, with revenue rising 32% in the fourth quarter to 21.1 billion yuan. Photo: VCG

Tencent Holdings Ltd. reported a 16% increase in annual profit for 2025, supported by overseas gaming revenue that exceeded $10 billion for the first time and its cloud computing unit achieving its first large-scale profit.

For 2025, the Shenzhen-based technology company posted net profit attributable to shareholders of 224.8 billion yuan ($32.5 billion), according to its earnings release Wednesday. Annual revenue rose 14% to 751.8 billion yuan, accelerating from 2024, though profit growth slowed. On a non-IFRS basis, net profit increased 17% to 259.6 billion yuan.

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Tencent's 2025 net profit rose 16% to 224.8 billion yuan ($32.5 billion), with annual revenue up 14% to 751.8 billion yuan, fueled by overseas gaming revenue surpassing $10 billion.
Investments in AI reached record highs; the Hunyuan 3.0 language model is set for external launch in April, but Tencent's AI user base still trails ByteDance and Alibaba.
WeChat monthly active users climbed 2% to 1.4 billion, while QQ users dropped 2% to 508 million.

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Who’s Who

Tencent Holdings Ltd.: Tencent Holdings Ltd. reported a 16% increase in annual profit for 2025, reaching $32.5 billion. Overseas gaming revenue exceeded $10 billion, and its cloud computing unit achieved its first large-scale profit. Total annual revenue rose 14% to 751.8 billion yuan. Tencent is focusing on overseas expansion, enterprise services, and AI development to drive future growth.

ByteDance Ltd.: The article mentions **ByteDance Ltd.** as a rival to Tencent in the field of AI applications. Specifically, Tencent's current AI applications are noted to lag behind those of **ByteDance Ltd.** and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in terms of user base. No further details about **ByteDance Ltd.** are provided in the text.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.: The article mentions Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in the context of AI applications. Specifically, it states that Tencent's current AI applications lag behind rivals like ByteDance Ltd. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. regarding their user base.

Supercell: Supercell, a subsidiary of Tencent, contributed significantly to Tencent's robust international gaming revenue. Its titles helped drive a 32% increase in international gaming revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025, reaching 21.1 billion yuan. This success highlights Supercell's role in Tencent's growing overseas market presence.

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What Happened When

2025：: Tencent Holdings Ltd. reported a 16% increase in annual profit, with overseas gaming revenue exceeding $10 billion for the first time and its cloud computing unit achieving its first large-scale profit.

2025：: Tencent's capital expenditure and R&D spending reached record highs of 79.2 billion yuan and 85.8 billion yuan, respectively.

As of Dec. 31, 2025：: WeChat's combined domestic and overseas monthly active users reached 1.4 billion; QQ mobile monthly active users fell to 508 million.

Fourth quarter of 2025：: Tencent's revenue grew 13% year-over-year to 194.4 billion yuan; non-IFRS net profit rose 17% to 64.7 billion yuan.

Wednesday, March 18, 2026：: Earnings release for Tencent's 2025 financial results; press conference where President Martin Lau announced Hunyuan 3.0 is in internal testing and scheduled for an external launch in April 2026.

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