Announcements

Ecosystem

Events

Features

Insights

News

Opinion

Q&As

China

Southeast Asia

Rest of World

Places

KrASIA Connection

Profiles in Tech

Venture Roundup

Open Source

Startup Wire

Our Events

View All Collections

Collections

About

36Kr (EN)

Social audio chat app Clubhouse has been blocked in China as of late Monday, according to individual reports and social media posts.
Users trying to access the app from Mainland China have been getting an "SLL error," indicating that a secure connection to the server cannot be made.
Despite Clubhouse being formally not available to iPhone users in China, as it was not listed in the local Apple Store, Chinese users were able to download the app after changing the location of their app store. The frenzy around the app even created a <a href="https://kr-asia.com/dont-miss-out-clubhouse-invites-on-sale-for-over-usd-60-in-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">market for invites</a> on Alibaba's e-commerce marketplace Taobao, Idle Fish, and Tencent's WeChat, with invitation codes selling for around RMB 400 (USD 62).
Clubhouse is free, but users can only access the app after receiving an invite code from another user. The app is also currently only available for iPhone users. Despite the exclusivity, as of January 24, Clubhouse gained over 2 million users, with growing popularity after personalities such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg opened their profiles and hosted public audio rooms.
<figure id="attachment_112898" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-112898" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-112898 size-full" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/A2789902-89F2-477D-982A-ADD24735694D.jpeg" alt="" width="750" height="1624" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/A2789902-89F2-477D-982A-ADD24735694D.jpeg 750w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/A2789902-89F2-477D-982A-ADD24735694D-139x300.jpeg 139w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/A2789902-89F2-477D-982A-ADD24735694D-473x1024.jpeg 473w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/A2789902-89F2-477D-982A-ADD24735694D-709x1536.jpeg 709w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-112898" class="wp-caption-text">Clubhouse's connectivity has been severed in China. Source: Clubhouse screenshot.</figcaption></figure>
Even before the restriction of Clubhouse, a host of similar Chinese applications looking to take advantage of the hype around audio-based chat rooms emerged in China.
Justin Sun, a Chinese entrepreneur and investor who made his name in cryptocurrencies, recently invested in Chinese audio app Two, <a href="https://twitter.com/justinsuntron/status/1356474397343715328?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">which he called China's Clubhouse</a> and was released on February 2, for both iOS and Android. Other imitators include Dizhua, Tiya, and Yalla. However, it is still unclear whether Chinese lookalikes will adopt Clubhouse's exclusive invite-only model.
Tiya's parent company, audio community and interactive audio entertainment firm Lizhi (<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/LIZI/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NASDAQ: LIZI</a>) saw its shares rise from USD 3.65 on February 1 to over USD 14.49 on February 4.
The company providing technical support to Clubhouse—Shanghai-headquartered <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/behind-clubhouse-agora-is-playing-in-the-big-leagues/" data-type="post" data-slug="behind-clubhouse-agora-is-playing-in-the-big-leagues">Agora</a> (<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/API/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAGJ8_TRXebJX2k64EncJoVOsXlmmAWFuzKP5VZTqgbXLfcJbDFW0Q2Tk0iU9D-DXr08Mclijih1FHs8MtqYlr8ZqHHZZ4dLwg4xobucwjf1paTNl2Ze6T1XAhlKT2Nv5PH7beJ32pTctXreuvm_RseszmHlTW3QS_jCSY7Ku9DR" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-type="external">NASDAQ: API</a>)—has also seen its stock surging over 30% in the first two days of February.
<a href="https://kr-asia.com/subscribe"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-108651" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-300x63.jpeg" alt="uptake newsletter" width="943" height="198" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-300x63.jpeg 300w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-768x160.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px" /></a>

Clubhouse blocked in China as app clones begin to spread

China Tech

Creative

Entertainment

Social audio app Clubhouse has been making headlines across the globe, even in China, where the invitation-only platform remains uncensored but also unavailable in the local Apple app store. Yet, Chinese users can access the app by modifying the location of their app store.
The frenzy around the app has boosted a market for the app invites, which are being sold in China on e-commerce platforms like Alibaba's Taobao and Idle Fish for as much as RMB 400 (USD 62). Users of Chinese super app WeChat are also selling Clubhouse invitations by offering them in their Moments feeds.
So, what's so special about Clubhouse? In short, Clubhouse, launched by tech industry veterans Paul Davison and Rohan Seth in March 2020, is an audio-based social network where users are free to join virtual chat rooms and talk after moderators of the room grant them permission. Users can also open their own rooms, either public or private, and host their own topics. Function-wise, the app is quite simple—users have a short bio page with a followers/following count, and there are not features like direct messaging or a personal feed.
However, the app recently picked up momentum after an array of personalities, such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg opened their profiles and hosted public audio rooms. The exclusivity of the platform could be also a factor to explain the growing popularity. Clubhouse is free, but users can only access the app after receiving an invite code from another user, or well, after buying one on the internet. The app is also currently only available for iPhone users.
“Influencers exchange opinions candidly, and I can hear what executives, MBA students, and top-tier consultants are doing and how they start their own businesses,” said 37-years old user Kunihiko Naito.
As of Jan 24, Clubhouse has gained 2 million users, and recently <a href="https://www.joinclubhouse.com/welcoming-more-voices">announced upcoming features</a> to allow creators to get paid on the app through features like tipping, tickets, or subscriptions.
<blockquote>
<h3>Read more: <a href="https://kr-asia.com/behind-clubhouse-agora-is-playing-in-the-big-leagues">Behind Clubhouse, Agora is playing in the big leagues</a></h3>
</blockquote>
<figure id="attachment_112771" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-112771" style="width: 749px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-112771 size-full" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/WechatIMG3613-e1612690356697.jpeg" alt="" width="749" height="1410" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/WechatIMG3613-e1612690356697.jpeg 749w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/WechatIMG3613-e1612690356697-159x300.jpeg 159w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/WechatIMG3613-e1612690356697-544x1024.jpeg 544w" sizes="(max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-112771" class="wp-caption-text">On Alibaba's Taobao, an invitation code of Clubhouse can be bought for about USD 60. Source: Taobao</figcaption></figure>
The company providing technical support to Clubhouse—Shanghai-headquartered <a href="https://kr-asia.com/behind-clubhouse-agora-is-playing-in-the-big-leagues">company Agora</a> (<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/API/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAGJ8_TRXebJX2k64EncJoVOsXlmmAWFuzKP5VZTqgbXLfcJbDFW0Q2Tk0iU9D-DXr08Mclijih1FHs8MtqYlr8ZqHHZZ4dLwg4xobucwjf1paTNl2Ze6T1XAhlKT2Nv5PH7beJ32pTctXreuvm_RseszmHlTW3QS_jCSY7Ku9DR">NASDAQ: API</a>)—has also seen its stock surging over 30% in the first two days of February, bolstered by Clubhouse’s sudden popularity.
In China's internet circle, Clubhouse has ignited enthusiasm among students, entrepreneurs, investors, media workers, and others, for being a new and fresh social platform, also not yet affected by the Chinese 'Great firewall.' Chinese entrepreneurs such as Kai-Fu Lee, former president of Google China and CEO of Sinovation Ventures, and other personalities from big tech firms have opened audio rooms and participated in discussions about the pros and cons of Clubhouse as a social app. 
Clones of Clubhouse and products with similar functions are already in the making in China. A Bilibili blogger named Bai Huancheng started a livestreaming session titled <a style="color: #314475;" href="https://live.bilibili.com/4016607?from=search&amp;seid=3633052508038373327" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"Recreating Clubhouse in 72 hours,"</a> which he was able to complete in 55 hours. Justin Sun, the founder of crypto platform Tron, also <a style="color: #314475;" href="https://twitter.com/justinsuntron/status/1356474397343715328?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced on Twitter</a> the launch of a similar audio-based app targeting Chinese users dubbed Two, available for both iOS and Android users since February 2.
Voice-based social apps are not a new thing in China. An audio-focused <a href="https://dz.zaih.com/">dating app called "Dizhua,"</a> was launched in 2019, but failed to become a mainstream product. Also, the format of the online chatting room reminds Chinese netizens of real-time voice and video service app YY.com, launched as early as 2012.
As of now, as more Chinese users are getting on Clubhouse, an increasing number of Chinese-speaking rooms are popping up on the app, involving a variety of topics. Among them, investors' roundtable talks, startup founders' experiences, media industry discussions, career consulting, cryptocurrency roundtable, and others. Even a room broadcasting China's top news program, CCTV's Xinwen Lianbo, got hundreds of listeners.
With growing popularity, there are more questions about the app's future in China. Will Clubhouse follow the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and fall under China's 'Great firewall' of internet control? Or, will a Chinese alternative hit the market and thrive? Time will tell.
<a href="ttps://kr-asia.com/subscribe?utm_source=article_insert&amp;utm_medium=base_banner&amp;utm_campaign=theuptake_articleCTA"><img class="size-full wp-image-108651 aligncenter" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake.jpeg" alt="uptake newsletter" width="1200" height="250" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake.jpeg 1200w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-300x63.jpeg 300w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-1024x213.jpeg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-768x160.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a>

Don't miss out, Clubhouse invites for sale for over USD 60 in China

Smartphones

… src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-300x63.jpeg" alt="uptake newsletter" width="919" height="193" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-300x63.jpeg 300w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The_uptake-768x160.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 919px) 100vw, 919px" /></a>

Behind Clubhouse, Agora is playing in the big leagues

Western Tech + (Japan and Korea)

Deep Tech

Live Streaming

agora

blackrock

clubhouse

coatue

morningside

paas

… e-shopping was popularized in China for a while, the Wenwan industry went online in 2018 when livestreaming e-commerce became a trend," Tang said, adding that livestreaming offers viewers a more direct and interactive experience.
Physical store owners, who used to do their businesses in traditional Wenwan marketplaces, such as Beijing's Panjiayuan flea market or professional clubhouses, can reach more users by listing their products online on the platform, he said.
<h3>On the back of Chinese traditional aesthetics</h3>
Most of the platform's customers are people born in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, with men accounting for around 70% of total users, Tang told KrASIA. However, he explained that demand for Wenwan products is also growing among younger generations, as products like clothing and accessories incorporating unique Chinese cultural elements have become trendy.
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-99109 aligncenter" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/oasis-launch-1200-x-250.png" alt="Oasis Launch banner" width="1200" height="250" srcset="https://console-eu.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/oasis-launch-1200-x-250.png 1200w, https://console-eu.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/oasis-launch-1200-x-250-300x63.png 300w, https://console-eu.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/oasis-launch-1200-x-250-1024x213.png 1024w, https://console-eu.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/oasis-launch-1200-x-250-768x160.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
"It's a consequence of the nation's financial growth and soft power," said Tang, who positions Wanwu Dezhi as a marketplace for all cultural goods.
"However, to transform the old Wenwan market, aside from our efforts, producers and designers also need to be more innovative to meet younger consumers' tastes," Tang said.
Wanwu Dezhi is not the only player in the Wenwan

This e-commerce platform digitizes antique trading: Inside China's Startups

Alibaba

Taobao

E-Commerce

… 100vw, 680px" /></a>
<blockquote>
<h3>Read this: <a href="https://kr-asia.com/this-media-startup-is-dedicated-to-asias-e-sports-scene-24-7-startup-stories" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This media startup is dedicated to Asia's e-sports scene 24/7</a></h3>
</blockquote>
“Since VR is a rapidly growing segment, we believe bringing it to our clubhouse will be an attraction to our younger generation of residents,” said Mark Hahn, general manager at the company who oversees One ArtLane, adding that buyers have said they like the feature.
Another of the developer’s properties, Novum Point, has installed an Icaros in the clubhouse. This futuristic-looking piece of fitness equipment lets users plank while wearing a VR headset so they can pretend they’re flying.
The prevalence of residential clubhouses in Hong Kong may seem puzzling. After all, why not use that spare space to build more apartments?
Clubhouses are partly a consequence of government policies, said Jason Kwong, director of valuation and advisory services for Asia at the real estate consultancy Colliers International.
<div class="embed-container"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t632EAUSs1A?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
For years, developers have been granted bonus floor area <a href="https://www.bd.gov.hk/doc/en/resources/codes-and-references/practice-notes-and-circular-letters/pnap/APP/APP104.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ev-category="Scroll Article" data-ev-label="https://www.bd.gov.hk/doc/en/resources/codes-and-references/practice-notes-and-circular-letters/pnap/APP/APP104.pdf" data-ev-action="Scroll Article/Impression/Inline Link">to construct recreational facilities</a>, such as clubhouse gyms and video game rooms. <a href="https://www.scmp.com/article/639292/exemption-given-clubhouses-included-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ev-category="Scroll Article" data-ev-label="https://www.scmp.com/article/639292/exemption-given-clubhouses-included-review" data-ev-action="Scroll Article/Impression/Inline Link">Authorities say</a> the arrangement is designed to improve quality of life for residents. To take advantage of the policy, the size of a clubhouse should run at 2.5–5% of the gross floor area, which explains why clubhouses in smaller residential developments tend to be smaller as well.
The size limit hasn’t stopped developers from maximizing their offerings.
“Developers would generally use the clubhouse facilities as one of the selling points for potential buyers,” said Kwong. “Thus, they will try to offer as many types of facilities as possible within the proposed clubhouses, which are exempted from [gross floor area] calculations.”
With finite space to impress, some facilities appear to be chosen for their ability to dazzle rather than for practicality.
In 2018, Kowloon Development came up with the idea of <a href="https://ps.hket.com/article/2475529" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ev-category="Scroll Article" data-ev-label="https://ps.hket.com/article/2475529" data-ev-action="Scroll Article/Impression/Inline Link">installing a virtual reality ski and snowboarding simulator</a> in the clubhouse of One East Coast, an oceanfront apartment complex in the area of Yau Tong.
But any residents who decide to train on the machine will have a hard time practicing beyond the virtual world: There have only been <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1902717/snow-hong-kong-city-facing-big-chill-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-ev-category="Scroll Article" data-ev-label="https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1902717/snow-hong-kong-city-facing-big-chill-internet" data-ev-action="Scroll Article/Impression/Inline Link">four reports of local snowfall</a> in subtropical Hong Kong since World War II.
This article was first published in <a href="https://www.abacusnews.com/culture/included-your-next-apartment-vr-pods-and-esports-arenas/article/3087689" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Abacus News</a>.

Included with your next apartment: VR pods and e-sports arenas

AR/VR

Gaming

… 490px) 100vw, 490px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">2018, a golden era for Vietnam e-commerce. </figcaption></figure>
<h2>Policy</h2>
As India sets the stage to implement one of the world's toughest personal data protection rules, local businesses, worrying of consequences of driving up cost and damaging innovations, is launching a campaign to reverse the plan. The rule is introduced by India’s central bank and is set to take effect on October 15, <a spellcheck="false" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Trends/India-s-proposed-personal-data-rules-unnerve-business">more here</a>.
Vietnam to remove 49% foreign ownership cap on listed companies, a move expected to help the country attracts more foreign investment to sustain a rapid growth, <a spellcheck="false" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Vietnam-to-remove-49-foreign-ownership-cap-on-listed-companies?utm_campaign=RN%20Free%20newsletter&amp;utm_medium=daily%20newsletter%20free&amp;utm_source=NAR%20Newsletter&amp;utm_content=article%20link">more here</a>.
<h2>Etc.</h2>
The 'Tesla of China' IPO'd last month in the US — take a look inside the swanky clubhouses it's using to try to lure wealthy people to buy its cars, <a spellcheck="false" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nio-tesla-of-china-has-swanky-clubhouse-for-car-owners-tour-photos-2018-10">more here</a>.
WhatsApp fixes a bug that lets hackers take over app when you are answering a video call, <a spellcheck="false" href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/whatsapp-fixes-bug-that-let-hackers-take-over-app-when-answering-a-video-call/">more here</a>.
How to get things done when you don’t feel like it, five strategies to carry on, <a spellcheck="false" href="https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=3280677">more here</a>.
<h2>Before you go</h2>
<a spellcheck="false" href="https://www.americanbanker.com/news/why-chinas-mobile-payments-revolution-matters-for-us-bankers">An anecdote that exemplifies China’s mobile payment advance</a> goes like, an American banker who got seconded to China, headed for ATMs to grab some local currency and left the stash of renminbi (Chinese currency) untouched in his briefcase for the subsequent nine months.
“Even the smallest merchants on the street, they don’t want cash,” said Darren Buckley, head of Citigroup’s consumer bank in Shanghai, “You pay for everything with your phone and a QR code.”
The wide adoption of tech-enabled payment - making fast and safe small amount transaction possible - doesn’t only lend convenience to local residents and SMEs including street vendors, but also sets the stage for the emergence of many business models, such as e-commerce, financial and on-demand services.
On the other hand, the slow adoption of online payment reduces Southeast Asian e-commerce to a large yet untapped market, according to a panel discussion at the South China Morning Post'' China conference held in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Startups here have to come up with offline workarounds to encourage customers. For instance, Bukalapak, an Indonesian online marketplace, works with some 300,000 mom-and-pop stores across Indonesia that serve as agents to help consumers order online and receive cash as payment for the transaction.
That said, Southeast Asia is currently undergoing a digital wallet heat, whoever eventually manages to consolidate the current fragmented market and rise as a dominating player, will have a lot to look forward to after the big win. <a spellcheck="false" href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/2167937/online-payments-still-challenge-southeast-asias-tech-players">More here</a>.

Today's Tech Headlines: SEA's funding tide breaks record