Tencent, Apple agree on 15% cut of WeChat mini-app purchases

Tencent has reached a deal with Apple to let the iPhone maker process payments and take a 15% commission on purchases in WeChat mini games and apps, people familiar with the matter said.

Tencent operates WeChat, a widely used Chinese social media and payments app.

The agreement ends a dispute over payments in WeChat’s mini programs, which had previously allowed developers to bypass Apple’s payment system.

Developers will need to meet certain Apple software requirements to join.

The new 15% commission is lower than Apple’s usual 30% fee for in-app purchases.

Apple had previously pushed Tencent to close loopholes that let app makers direct users to external payment platforms.

Mini games inside WeChat generated 32.3 billion yuan (US$4.5 billion) in social network revenue for Tencent in Q3 2025.

The deal follows more than a year of negotiations, and comes as Chinese regulators increase scrutiny of Apple’s practices in the country.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

China’s mini-game market forecast at $6.86 billion for 2024 1, iOS share unclear

The missing piece is how much WeChat mini‑game spending happens on iOS in China since Apple takes 15% on qualifying in‑app purchases in those apps 2.
Tencent mini games made $4.5 billion in Q3 2025, implying a yearly pace over $18 billion. The split remains unknown, and Apple earns nothing on Android.
Honor of Kings (a standalone app not a WeChat mini game) earned 97% of its $142.2 million from iOS in China 1 so platform mix varies by title.
Knowing the iOS versus Android share of mini‑game Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) or paying users will set the deal’s importance for Apple, Tencent, and developers.

New iOS rules raise demand for integration tools

Developers must route iOS mini‑game payments through Apple for qualifying purchases and meet new rules, including the Declared Age Range plus Advanced Commerce Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) 3 for age‑appropriate experiences with purchase flows.
This will fuel demand for Software Development Kits (SDKs) 4. Needed features include platform detection plus Apple‑compliant in‑app purchases, receipt plus tax checks, and analytics. Tool vendors and systems integrators must keep WeChat Pay (Tencent’s built‑in payments service) on Android.
Clear Apple and Tencent guidelines with implementation timelines will let third‑party toolmakers ship compliant solutions soon after the November 2025 launch 2.
Payment processors and compliance firms can earn fees by helping small mini‑game studios that focus on ad monetization 1 meet Apple’s rules without hurting their Android business.