Bilibili, often described as China’s answer to YouTube, is renewing its push into international markets with a new mobile app and the removal of identity verification requirements that had limited access for overseas users.
The international Bilibili app is currently available for Android users, with an iOS version reportedly coming soon. Bilibili is also working on an English-language website that is expected to feature content from popular creators.
The international version uses a pink-themed interface and adds a small globe to the upper-left corner of its app icon to differentiate it from the domestic release. Bilibili has also dropped its previous identity verification requirement, which required users to submit a passport or government-issued ID before posting content.
In posts on a newly created X account, Bilibili confirmed its international expansion plans but did not share a timeline for an official launch. The company said the Chinese and global versions will offer the same content, with the global version providing “better localization & easier sign-ups” for international users.
Bilibili appears to be building out its overseas team, based on LinkedIn listings and marketing materials shared with influencers. The company is hiring community managers in cities including Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Istanbul, and Tokyo. One Singapore-based position also points to work on “AI-powered content moderation systems” for the global platform.
Bilibili is also trying to bring more international creators on board, including MrBeast, by encouraging them to post on its existing Chinese-language platform. According to the company, the service now has more than 376 million monthly active users.
Semafor reports that Bilibili has launched a Discord server to promote its international platform as an additional earning opportunity for creators and influencers. The company also reportedly distributed a document to global creators that described Bilibili as a platform for reaching “Gen Z Coded, affluent and well-educated” users.
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