China’s Bilibili Ditches Passport Verification as It Launches Global Push

Bilibili, the Chinese video platform often described as the country's answer to YouTube, is relaunching its international app and preparing an English-language website as part of a major expansion into the U.S., Europe, Japan, and other markets. The company is actively courting Western creators, including popular figures like MrBest, and has begun hiring community and moderation staff globally while building tools for brand partnerships.

According to Semafor, the revamped international app no longer requires identity verification, meaning overseas users can sign up without providing a passport or ID document — a requirement that was long enforced on the main Chinese platform. This change was highlighted by a newly created account on X that is marketing the platform to global creators. "Yes bilibili is going global," the account wrote, adding that content-wise, the U.S. and Chinese sites will be the same.

In a document recently shared in a Discord chat for Bilibili creators, the company pitched itself as a place for influencers to make money and connect with what it described as "Gen Z Coded, affluent and well-educated" users. A marketplace for international users to connect with brands for sponsored content is "in development," according to the presentation. The deck also showed creators how to post videos on its Chinese website, adding that an English version is "coming soon. We are working hard."

The move signals Bilibili's ambition to compete directly with YouTube on a global scale, particularly in attracting younger, wealthier audiences. By removing the barrier of passport verification, the platform aims to lower the entry threshold for international creators and viewers. The company's focus on building a dedicated marketplace for sponsored content suggests it is also looking to monetize its global expansion through brand partnerships, a model that has proven successful for platforms like YouTube and Instagram. With the hiring of moderation staff and the development of an English-language interface, Bilibili appears to be laying the groundwork for a sustained international presence, though it remains to be seen how it will navigate regulatory and cultural differences across markets.