Uber’s New Way to Reach Chinese Travelers Runs Through WeChat

Uber on Monday announced the launch of a Mini Program inside Chinese social media superapp WeChat (called Weixin in China). The program allows users to book and pay for rides in other countries without downloading the Uber app or entering foreign payment information.

Uber said travelers can simply log in with their WeChat account, search for a ride and pay through WeChat Pay or WeChat Pay HK, depending on their region.

The feature is already live in Hong Kong and Japan and will expand to nine more markets, including the U.S., U.K. and France.

“By embedding Uber into Weixin, we’re making overseas travel easier for Chinese users at every step,” Pradeep Parameswaran, head of mobility for Uber, said in a release. “We want to meet riders wherever they are, and for Chinese international travellers, that means Weixin.”

While it’s convenient, this move also helps Uber stay relevant to a large and growing group of outbound travelers from China. More than 130 million went abroad last year, a number expected to rise in 2025.

“This is not a re-entry into the domestic market,” Uber spokesperson Chris Brummitt told Skift. “It’s a strategic initiative focused exclusively on outbound Chinese travelers. It aligns with Uber’s global growth strategy of embedding its services into the platforms people already use.”

Brummitt didn’t comment on whether the WeChat integration will expand to other Uber services, like Eats and Courier. He said, “Uber Eats is not part of the initial launch.”

Uber formally launched in China in February 2014, but struggled to stay afloat with the then Uber CEO Travis Kalanick saying that it was losing about $1 billion a year. Uber faced tough competition from Chinese ride hailing app Didi Chuxing, more popularly known as Didi.

Then on August 1, 2016, Didi announced it would acquire Uber China, valuing the business at $35 billion. As part of the deal, Uber received 5.89% of the combined company, equal to a 17.7% economic stake in Didi.

In April 2019, Uber’s S‑1 filing ahead of its IPO revealed that its Didi stake had fallen to 15.4% after new investments diluted its share.

Instead of taking on Didi again, Uber is now playing to its strengths. It already operates in many top destinations for Chinese tourists and is making it easier for them to use Uber abroad. “Uber expects material growth in gross bookings and active users starting from Day One of the rollout,” Brummitt said.

For many Chinese users, WeChat is more than a messaging app. It’s where they pay bills, shop and book services through built‑in Mini Programs. According to Uber, Weixin Mini Programs has 1.1 billion monthly users. That massive audience is exactly who Uber wants to reach.

Talking about the Uber Mini Program, Freedom Li, president of Weixin Pay International Business, said, “We are dedicated to providing a ‘local‑like’ digital convenience globally, and Uber’s integration strengthens Weixin’s cross-border digital ecosystem.”

Brummitt further said the Uber Mini Program is fully localized for Chinese users, with simplified Chinese support, familiar navigation and WeChat Pay integration. “This ensures a seamless and intuitive experience for travelers. Travellers use their Weixin login and Weixin Pay to search, book, and pay for rides,” he said.

Explaining the choice of launch markets, Brummitt said: “We chose Hong Kong and Japan for the initial rollout because they have strong tourism appeal for Chinese travelers.”

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