China has been known as a piracy black hole for years, from knock - off Louis Vuitton bags to illegal music downloads. That picture is fast receding, especially online, where the world’s biggest internet population is spending money, lots of it, to support their favourite stars.
Five of the top 10 applications on Apple’s iOS app store by consumer spending this year are owned by Chinese companies. They include Tencent Video, which came in second behind Netflix. iQiyi, Kwai, Youku and QQ round out the other top - grossing Chinese apps, according to report by data firm App Annie published on July 2.
China’s biggest tech players are gaining confidence that the public will pay for content as they ramp up efforts to license overseas content in recent years.