Tencent fires WeChat project manager for ₹45 lakh bonus package leak online | Today’s news
Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings has terminated a project manager at its WeChat division after his multi-million yuan compensation package was leaked online, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The termination reportedly sparked intense debate across social media platforms.
What happened?
SCMP reported that an employee surnamed Ye was fired for sharing confidential company data with external parties. According to an internal bulletin monitored by Tencent employees, the leak resulted in “a serious negative impact both inside and outside the company.”
Ye served as a project manager at Weixin Group, the main unit that manages WeChat, the ubiquitous super app in China that boasts 1.3 billion users.
Following the violation of the law, the company’s corruption investigation department reportedly confirmed that Ye was not only fired, but also permanently blacklisted from future employment with the company, according to the notice.
A formal circular detailing further disciplinary action regarding his breach of executive conduct is expected to follow, the SCMP said.
The viral payslip controversy
Controversy erupted when a screenshot detailing Ye’s staggering annual salary surfaced and quickly spread on Chinese social media. The image, which appeared to be captured from an internal company portal, revealed a total compensation package worth approximately 3.17 million yuan ( ₹45.38 million dollars).
According to the leaked document, the package included a cash bonus exceeding 820,000 yuan, along with stock incentives worth more than 2.35 million yuan.
Corporate Crackdown
The high-profile layoffs saw Tencent’s intensifying zero-tolerance approach focus on internal indiscipline and data breaches.
Company policies strictly prohibit employees from disclosing sensitive company information, including employee records, trade secrets, undisclosed source code, and internal communications.
The Shenzhen-based firm revealed the aggressive scope of its recent internal audits in its annual report published in January. Over the course of 2025, Tencent’s anti-corruption unit uncovered more than 70 violations.
These investigations resulted in the termination of more than 90 employees, with more than 20 cases escalating to criminal prosecution.
