Tencent

Tencent was founded by Ma Huateng, Zhang Zhidong, Xu Chenye, Chen Yidan, and Zeng Liqing on November 11, 1998. The company started as a Chinese tech conglomerate with its headquarters in Shenzhen, China. It began its operations with the creation of the messaging platform QQ, which became popular in China. Tencent has since expanded to become one of the world's largest technology companies, involved in various services including social network, music, web portals, e-commerce, and online games.

On June 16, 2004, Tencent Holdings Ltd went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The IPO was a significant milestone for Tencent, marking its transformation from a domestic company to an international enterprise. The initial public offering raised roughly $200 million, valuing the company at around $3.8 billion. This IPO helped Tencent leverage its position in the tech industry and accelerate its growth trajectory over the following years.

Tencent launched WeChat on August 29, 2011, as a social media and messaging platform. WeChat quickly became one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. The application started with text messaging and expanded to include features such as video calls, broadcasting messages, and integration with games. It became an essential mobile app for personal communication and has been instrumental in Chinese social media and internet culture.

On January 15, 2014, Tencent announced it would purchase a 15% stake in JD.com, a major Chinese e-commerce website, as a strategic partnership. This move allowed Tencent to strengthen its position in the e-commerce market by leveraging JD.com's extensive logistics network and e-commerce expertise, while JD.com benefited from Tencent's vast user base on WeChat. The partnership was seen as a counter to Alibaba's dominance in Chinese e-commerce.

Tencent completed its acquisition of an 84.3% stake in Supercell, the Finnish mobile game developer behind hits like 'Clash of Clans' and 'Clash Royale', on August 18, 2016. The deal valued the company at approximately $10.2 billion, making it one of the largest transactions in the gaming industry. This acquisition bolstered Tencent's position as the world's leading mobile game company, enhancing its game portfolio significantly.

Tencent Music Entertainment, the streaming subsidiary of Tencent focused on the music business, filed for an initial public offering in the United States on March 26, 2018. The move was part of Tencent's strategy to capture the growing interest in music streaming and leverage the financial markets to fund further expansion. The IPO was one of the largest by a Chinese tech company in the U.S., raising over $1 billion when it eventually listed.

On June 29, 2020, Tencent increased its investment in Tesla by purchasing a significant stake, making it one of the top shareholders in the electric vehicle company. This move was seen as a strategic investment in the future of automotive technology and the growing field of electric vehicles. As one of the leading technology investors, Tencent's involvement in Tesla was viewed as a vote of confidence in Tesla's long-term prospects.

On August 6, 2020, then-President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning transactions with WeChat, owned by Tencent, citing national security concerns. This order was part of a series of U.S. government actions against Chinese technology companies during escalating trade tensions. The ban created uncertainty for WeChat's significant user base in the United States and raised questions about the impact on U.S.-China relations.

On October 8, 2021, Tencent completed its acquisition of the British video game developer Sumo Group for approximately $1.27 billion. This acquisition represented Tencent's continued expansion in the international gaming industry, acquiring skilled developers and adding popular titles to its vast gaming portfolio. Sumo Group is known for working on games like 'LittleBigPlanet' and 'Crackdown'.

On September 7, 2022, Tencent announced the purchase of a minority stake in Ubisoft Entertainment, the French game developer known for titles like 'Assassin's Creed' and 'Far Cry'. This investment was seen as a continuation of Tencent’s global strategy to acquire or invest in influential gaming companies. Tencent's investment allowed it to deepen its presence in the global gaming industry and collaborate with one of Europe's largest game developers.