Russia Wants to Compete with Telegram, Max App Designed to Imitate WeChat and Douyin

JAKARTA - The Russian government has begun encouraging the use of a local messaging app called Max as an alternative to foreign platforms. This is done in an effort to strengthen digital sovereignty while also driving a technology-based domestic economy. However, this ambition faces a major challenge: users are not yet fully convinced.

The CEO of the Russian internet company, VK, Vladimir Kiriyenko, revealed that Max was developed by emulating the success of Asian super-apps such as Tencent's WeChat and Douyin. This model combines messaging services, e-commerce, and business features in a single integrated ecosystem.

The push from the Kremlin is clear. The government wants people to switch from Telegram, which is currently the most popular app in Russia. Despite pressure from authorities, Telegram has grown rapidly, not only as a communication tool, but also as a business platform, monetizing content, and crypto transactions.

This is where Max tries to get in. Kiriyenko said more than 500,000 companies have registered on the platform. His strategy is to build a "platform economy" - a concept where businesses, financial services, and consumers are connected in one application, similar to the WeChat ecosystem in China.

VK is also opening its Max system for third-party integration, including AI-based chatbots, to expand its services. This step was inspired by Tencent's innovation in developing AI integration in WeChat to carry out automated tasks such as file delivery to emails.

In addition, Russia also observed Douyin's approach to combining video content with e-commerce. This model allows creators to promote products directly to the audience - turning content consumption into an economic transaction.

But in the field, user resistance is still felt. Many consider the Max feature to be unable to compete with the flexibility and mature ecosystem of Telegram. This is an irony: the country wants digital migration, but users still choose the "already easy to use".

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