ChatSim looks to Asia-Pacific market for growth
SHANGHAI – Italian instant messaging provider ChatSim said it expects to reach nearly 1 million users by the end of this year, compared to its current usage base of 100,000 customers, the firm’s business development director Juan De la Coba told RCR Wireless News at this week’s Mobile World Congress event in Shanghai.
The company officially launched in January out of Italian mobile virtual network operator Zero Mobile, which specializes in low-cost data and voice roaming services.
The company offers a $16 SIM card that lets users chat for free using instant messaging apps including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, WeChat and many other apps available for smartphones and tablets.
The executive said the SIM card is sold via the company’s website or through distributors. ChatSim said it’s expanding operations in the Asia-Pacific region, where it already has distributors in China, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
“We are looking to attract additional distributors to expand even more our business in Asia-Pacific,” De la Coba said.
At a global level, ChatSim currently has nearly 30 distributors, including partners in Latin America and Europe. ChatSim recently obtained $1 million from a venture capital firm based in Luxembourg. De la Coba said the firm will seek additional financing in the coming months to expand its operations.
In Europe, ChatSim claims Spain has the highest number of users, while in the Asia-Pacific region ChatSim has a significant number of registered users in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia.
“In Latin America, Brazil and Mexico are our two largest markets,” De la Coba added.
