Tencent (腾讯) upgrades inheritance service for deceased users' WeChat (微信) and QQ wallet balances — funds can arrive in as fast as 24 hours

What changed

It has been reported that Tencent (腾讯) has upgraded its dedicated customer‑service pathway for inheriting small‑change balances in WeChat (微信) and QQ accounts. Reportedly, when all required documents are complete the platform can process withdrawals in one to three working days, with the fastest cases settled within 24 hours. Who benefits? Grieving families who previously faced slow, onerous procedures.

How the service works

Users seeking to claim a deceased relative’s balance are guided to a “funds inheritance” area inside WeChat: Me → Services → Wallet → Customer Service, then enter “WeChat Pay property inheritance” to start. Requestors must submit identity and relationship proofs, a death certificate and documents establishing inheritance rights; the platform then performs compliance checks, balance verification and disbursement. It has been reported that the change responds to rising demand for digital‑asset succession — related data show that among will‑makers born in the 1990s, 21.35% involve payment‑account assets.

Cases and regulatory context

Tencent’s customer‑service team published three handling examples: a Zhejiang family that needed emergency medical funds, an elderly blind woman assisted via relatives and staff outreach, and a Shanghai case where a handwritten marriage certificate complicated name matching and required flexible evidence handling. It has been reported that Tencent says the team will help users as far as compliance allows while protecting privacy and information security. The update comes as Chinese regulators tighten data and privacy rules (for example the Personal Information Protection Law and Data Security Law), so platforms must speed up customer service without breaching compliance — a tricky balance, especially for cross‑border heirs.