ByteDance vs TenPay Global

TikTok Expands Off-Platform Ad Network to US

TikTok expanded its TikTok Ad Network (formerly Pangle) to US advertisers, announced at Advertising Week New York. The network spans nearly 400,000 premium third-party apps globally, allowing advertisers to extend campaigns off-platform. It aims to increase TikTok's share of ad budgets by leveraging its data and algorithms. Advertisers express cautious interest, seeking transparency, control, and proof of incremental reach, while noting competition from Google, Meta, and Amazon. Some see potential for lower CPMs and improved performance with proper guardrails. TikTok's US ad revenue was $14.12 billion in 2025, projected to reach $17.69 billion in 2026, with global ad revenue projected at $43.89 billion by end of 2026.

• TikTok expanded its TikTok Ad Network (formerly Pangle) to US advertisers at Advertising Week New York.
• The network spans nearly 400,000 premium apps globally and sells ads across TikTok's own apps and third-party apps.
• TikTok's US ad revenue was $14.12 billion in 2025, projected to reach $17.69 billion in 2026.

WeChat and Alipay Gate AI Phone Agents in China

A recent analysis examines how China's AI phone ecosystem is controlled by super-apps like WeChat and Alipay, which decide whether AI assistants can operate within their apps. The article highlights Nubia's second-generation Doubao phone, powered by ByteDance's AI, which failed to complete tasks inside WeChat, Alipay, and other apps due to restrictions. Alibaba launched Qwen Intelligence for agentic smartphones, while the CAC added new on-device agents to its registry. Key insight: regulatory filings do not grant app access; super-apps like Alipay and WeChat open their services but not their screens, positioning themselves as gatekeepers. The article notes that deals so far turn AI phones into switchboards, with the assistant interpreting requests and the app controlling service execution and payment.

• Nubia began selling its second-generation Doubao phone on September 16, 2026, with ByteDance's AI assistant, which failed to complete tasks in WeChat and other apps.
• Alibaba launched Qwen Intelligence on September 22, 2026, to power agentic smartphones.
• The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) registered three new on-device phone agents on September 22, 2026, from Honor, Xiaomi, and StepFun.

China's AI Shopping-Agent War Shows Europe the Future

This analysis compares conflicts between AI shopping agents and e-commerce platforms in China and the US, and draws implications for Europe. In China, ByteDance's Doubao agent was initially blocked by Taobao and WeChat, but later integrated through negotiations and a formal access protocol (SAEP). In the US, Amazon blocked Meta's Muse agent, which then partnered with Shopify. The article argues that AI agents will shift advertising from selling attention to charging for outcomes, such as commissions and access fees, potentially benefiting platforms like Meta. It advises European retailers to make their product data agent-readable and predicts that Europe will rely on regulation, transparency, and data protection rules rather than commercial deals or super-app control. Ting Wasner-Lian, founder of SE Incubator Consulting in Vienna, offers strategic insights for European decision-makers.

• In December 2025, ByteDance launched its first AI phone with Doubao AI agent, which was promptly blocked by Taobao, WeChat, and several banking apps.
• From January 2026, ByteDance integrated third-party ride-hailing, food delivery, and ticketing services into Doubao, and in September introduced a formal access protocol called SAEP.
• On September 21, 2026, Amazon blocked Meta's AI shopping agent Muse; Meta then partnered with Shopify to allow purchases on its merchant network.

Researchers Track Chinese AI Agent Fleet Targeting Amap

On October 5, 2026, independent researchers reported an 'AI agent fleet'—not a coordinated swarm—running on Tencent infrastructure and querying Alibaba's map service Amap. The agents were detected via URLquery, a domain-scanning service, which revealed queries to Amap for directions to public places like parks, zoos, and hospitals. The agents appear to bypass Alibaba's API rules rather than engage in malicious activity. This discovery highlights increasing AI agent activity on the internet, continuing after the Hugging Face incident, and underscores the challenges for platforms managing automated traffic and potential policy enforcement.

• Independent researchers discovered an AI agent fleet running on Tencent's infrastructure.
• The agents targeted Alibaba's map service Amap, seeking directions to public places.
• The agents were detected using URLquery, a domain-scanning service.

Four Ways to Help International Visitors Feel at Home in China

New article added to Tencent's All News page: 'Four Ways to Help International Visitors Feel at Home in China' published September 28, 2026.

Data Roundup: Funding, Earnings, Market Trends in Gaming

This weekly data digest covers several key stories in the mobile gaming industry. Tencent led a $25M Series A for Circle Games. AppMagic estimates show top earners in August, led by Gossip Harbor and Roblox. Japan's mobile game IAP revenue fell 5.1% to $10B in 2026. A Newzoo-Google report reveals 46% of online consumers play webgames monthly. Duolingo's crossover with Brawl Stars boosted installs. Colony Flow, Mystery Dumpling, and Hunting Rivals show strong revenue numbers. Bandai Namco's Bleach game passed 400k pre-registrations. Topdog raised $2.5M for real-money skill games. Jest alt app store hit a $1M run rate.

• Circle Games raised a $25M Series A led by Tencent, with participation from e2vc, Bitkraft Ventures, APY Ventures, and a16z Speedrun.
• Japan's mobile games market generated over $10B (¥1.56T) in IAP revenue in 2026, down 5.1% year-on-year.
• Gossip Harbor led App Store revenue and Roblox topped Google Play revenue in August, per SocialPeta.