Tencent says its WeChat app has seen its data flow double from last year on Lunar New Year's Eve.
The number of messages for the New Year surged to 10 million in the peak minute after the turn of the New Year.
Over the past decade, the Lunar New Year's eve messages have been sent via text messages via the state-owned telecom giants.
The cost of that way stands at 0.1-yuan per message.
That has since come under pressure from WeChat, which is free, aside from the data flow charges.