Internet giant Tencent reported record user participation in sending and receiving digital " hongbao " or red envelopes containing gift money on the eve of the Lunar New Year via WeChat , its mobile payments platform . China Daily/Yan Xiaoqing/) On 7 February , a total of 8.08 billion red envelopes were sent and received , eight times that of last year , and during peak hours , 409,000 virtual red envelopes were sent very second through the app , according to Tencent . These latest figures highlight the growing number of mobile users in China and the increasing acceptance of third - party payments and other internet financing services , said one analyst .
Internet giant Tencent reported record user participation in sending and receiving digital " hongbao " or red envelopes containing gift money on the eve of the Lunar New Year via WeChat , its mobile payments platform . On 7 February , a total of 8.08 billion red envelopes were sent and received , eight times that of last year , and during peak hours , 409,000 virtual red envelopes were sent very second through the app , according to Tencent . These latest figures highlight the growing number of mobile users in China and the increasing acceptance of third - party payments and other internet financing services , said one analyst .