Ma Huateng facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ma Huateng
|
|
|---|---|
| 马化腾 | |
Ma in 2019
|
|
| Born | October 29, 1971 Shantou, Guangdong, China
|
| Other names | Pony Ma |
| Education | Shenzhen University (BS) |
| Occupation |
|
| Known for | Co-founding of Tencent |
| Title | Chairperson of Tencent |
| Chinese name | |
| Simplified Chinese | 马化腾 |
| Traditional Chinese | 馬化騰 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Mǎ Huàténg |
Ma Huateng (Chinese: 马化腾; pinyin: Mǎ Huàténg), also known as Pony Ma, was born on October 29, 1971. He is a Chinese businessman, investor, and someone who gives a lot to charity (a philanthropist). He is famous for being a co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Tencent.
Tencent is one of the biggest internet and technology companies in the world. It's also a huge company that invests in many things, including games and entertainment. Tencent is based in Shenzhen, China. It created China's largest mobile messaging service, WeChat. Tencent also offers media, entertainment, ways to pay for things online, smartphones, and online advertising services. These services are used both in China and around the world.
Ma Huateng has been recognized as one of the world's most influential people by Time magazine in 2007, 2014, and 2018. Forbes also called him one of the world's most powerful people in 2015. In 2017, Fortune magazine listed him among the top businessmen of the year. He is known for being quite private, especially compared to other famous Chinese business leaders.
As of July 2025, his wealth is estimated to be around US$51.5 billion, according to Forbes.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ma Huateng was born in Chaoyang, Shantou, a city in Guangdong, China. When he was young, his father, Ma Chenshu, got a job as a port manager in Shenzhen. Ma Huateng moved with his father to Shenzhen.
He studied at Shenzhen University. In 1993, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Applied Engineering.
Building Tencent: A Journey in Tech
Starting His Career
Ma Huateng's first job was at China Motion Telecom Development. This company provided services and products for telecommunications. He worked on creating software for pagers there. He also worked at Shenzhen Runxun Communications Co. Ltd., where he helped develop internet calling services.
The Birth of Tencent and QQ
In 1998, Ma Huateng and four of his classmates started a company called Tencent. Their first big product was inspired by ICQ, an early internet messaging service. In February 1999, Ma and his team launched their own similar software called OICQ (Open ICQ). It had a Chinese interface.
OICQ quickly became very popular. By the end of 1999, it had over a million users, making it one of the biggest messaging services in China. Ma Huateng once said that they built on the ideas of others, like standing "on the shoulders of giants."
Because OICQ was free, Tencent needed money to keep it running. In 2000, they received funding from a U.S. investment firm and a Hong Kong telecom company. These companies bought a 40% share in Tencent for $2.2 million. Ma also improved the messaging platform so users could send messages to mobile phones. This helped Tencent earn money through deals with phone companies.
Changing to QQ and Growing the Business
Later, a company called AOL, which owned ICQ, said that Tencent's OICQ name was too similar to theirs. Tencent lost the case and had to change the name. In December 2000, Ma changed the software's name to QQ.
After this, Ma decided to make Tencent bigger. In 2003, Tencent launched its own website, QQ.com. They also started getting into the online games market. By 2004, Tencent was the largest instant messaging service in China. This led Ma to list the company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Tencent raised $200 million, and Ma became one of the richest people in China's tech industry.
In 2004, Tencent launched an online gaming platform. They started selling virtual items for games, like weapons and power-ups. They also sold emoticons and ringtones. In 2005, Tencent launched Paipai.com, an online shopping platform that competed with Alibaba.
The Rise of WeChat
In 2010, Ma Huateng had two teams of engineers compete to create a new product. After two months, one team presented an app for text messaging and group chat. This app, called WeChat (微信, Weixin), launched in January 2011. As of 2015, WeChat became the largest instant messaging platform in the world. It is used by nearly half of all internet users in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tencent also offers many other services. These include web portals, e-commerce, and online games where many people can play together. Games like Legend of Yulong and Legend of Xuanyuan greatly increased the company's earnings. In December 2015, Ma announced that Tencent would build an "internet hospital" in Wuzhen. This hospital would offer online doctor visits and medicine delivery.
Other Important Activities
Giving Back: Philanthropy
In 2016, Ma Huateng gave US$2.3 billion worth of his personal Tencent shares to his charity, the Ma Huateng Global Foundation (马化腾环球基金会). This shows his commitment to helping others.
Public Service
Ma Huateng has also been involved in public service. He was a representative for the 5th Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress. He also served as a delegate in the 12th National People's Congress. He believes that online companies must follow rules and act responsibly to prevent false information and arguments.
Personal Life
Ma Huateng uses the nickname Pony. This comes from the English meaning of his family name, Ma (马), which means "horse." He is known for being private and does not often appear in the media.
His wealth comes from his 9.7 percent ownership in Tencent Holdings. He reportedly owns property in Hong Kong and valuable art pieces. He also owns a large home in Hong Kong.
In April 2018, Ma Huateng's book "China on Fingertips" was released. It talks about how China became a mobile internet power.
See also
In Spanish: Ma Huateng para niños
