China’s Bilibili is making its biggest international push yet, positioning itself as a potential competitor to YouTube and other global video platforms.
The company has relaunched its international app globally, initially on Android, while an iOS version is expected soon. More countries and localized features are also reportedly planned.
What has changed?: One of the biggest changes is that international users can now sign up more easily. Bilibili has removed the previous identity verification requirement that could require overseas creators to provide a passport or other government ID to upload content.
The company says the global version will provide globally distributed content, easier sign-ups and better localization, rather than operating as an isolated international catalog.
Bilibili is also reportedly preparing an English language website and hiring employees in major international markets, including Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Mexico City, São Paulo and Istanbul.
Why is Bilibili doing this?: Bilibili already has an enormous audience in China. The company has reported roughly 376 million monthly active users, giving it a huge existing community that it can potentially leverage as it expands internationally.
Now, instead of simply encouraging Western creators to upload content for Chinese viewers, Bilibili appears to want international creators and audiences to become part of the platform itself.
It has reportedly been approaching major creators, including MrBeast, while marketing the platform as an additional opportunity for global creators.
Bilibili isn’t simply another YouTube clone: The platform has built a strong identity around anime, gaming, entertainment, livestreaming and highly engaged online communities.
One of its signature features is danmu, real-time comments that scroll across the video itself. This creates a very different viewing experience from traditional YouTube comments and has become one of Bilibili’s defining characteristics.
Its large anime and Chinese animation (donghua) catalog could also give it an advantage with audiences already interested in Asian entertainment.
Could it actually challenge YouTube?: It is far too early to say. YouTube has an enormous global creator ecosystem, mature advertising infrastructure, sophisticated recommendation systems and established monetization tools. Bilibili will have to convince creators that there is a meaningful financial and audience benefit to uploading their content there as well.
There are also potential challenges around content moderation, regulations and cultural differences. Bilibili’s rules and moderation practices may differ significantly from what Western creators are accustomed to on YouTube.
But Bilibili doesn’t necessarily need to replace YouTube to succeed.
If it can convince creators to cross-post their videos, attract younger international audiences and build a strong creator economy, it could become another major destination for online video much like TikTok demonstrated that a Chinese-origin platform can become a global phenomenon.
The Broader Impact:
The most interesting part isn’t simply that “China’s YouTube is going global.” It’s that Bilibili appears to be trying to repeat a strategy that Chinese technology companies have increasingly pursued; take a platform that became dominant domestically and build a global version specifically designed for international users.
And this time, Bilibili is going after one of the world’s most valuable internet markets: the global creator economy.
For creators, this could be worth watching closely. Getting onto Bilibili early could potentially provide an additional audience before the international platform becomes saturated.
Industry Impact: Bilibili isn’t replacing YouTube today but its 2026 global relaunch makes it a much more serious competitor to watch.
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