Russian state internet company VK announced Wednesday that it’s drawing inspiration from Chinese tech giant Tencent’s messaging platforms to improve its domestic Max app, which has struggled to gain user adoption.
Vladimir Kiriyenko, who leads VK, revealed that his company is studying both WeChat and Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese counterpart) to enhance Max’s capabilities and attract more users away from the currently dominant Telegram platform.
Moscow has been actively encouraging citizens to switch from Telegram to Max, but faces significant pushback from users who find Max’s features inadequate compared to its competitor.
Over time, Telegram has evolved beyond simple messaging into a comprehensive platform offering business tools, revenue opportunities for content creators, and cryptocurrency features – despite facing periodic government pressure.
Russian leadership views this “platform economy” approach, where online services connect businesses with customers through e-commerce and banking partnerships, as essential for stimulating the nation’s sluggish economic expansion.
According to Kiriyenko, Max plans to follow WeChat’s strategy by opening its platform to external chatbot developers, enabling new business applications. He noted that half a million companies have already signed up for Max services.
“The Asian model, WeChat is often cited as an example, became successful thanks to its open system,” Kiriyenko stated during a Moscow conference, emphasizing that collaborative partnerships drive success.
Recent developments show Tencent introducing ClawBot technology in March, which connects WeChat with OpenClaw artificial intelligence software capable of handling file transfers and email tasks automatically.
Kiriyenko, son of former prime minister Sergei Kiriyenko who currently holds a senior Kremlin administrative position, assumed his VK leadership role in 2021.
He explained that his team is also examining how Douyin successfully built e-commerce operations around short-form video content.
“As people consume content, they also follow creators who promote specific products and services in areas like beauty, health, and fashion. So now I’m working on developing it into a more collaborative format,” he explained.
