By the end of 2025, China had exported more than 130,000 online literature works overseas, and the number of registered overseas users was approximately 250 million, with 40 million new users added in 2025, according to the 2025 China Online Literature Blue Book released by the China Writers Association on Thursday.
Active overseas users now span more than 200 countries and regions. Daily active users across international online literature and related micro-short drama platforms have reached 60 million, with overseas revenue surpassing 8 billion yuan ($1.18 billion), including earnings from micro-dramas adapted from online literature platforms, indicating multi-polar growth in the market.
The blue book also shows that by the end of 2025, the total number of online literature works in China has exceeded 33 million, with a readership of over 500 million people. The overall quality of works in major categories such as reality, science fiction, history, and fantasy has generally improved.
Drawing on data from 50 major online literature platforms, the report says the sector generated about 49 billion yuan in revenue in 2025. Every year, online literature now serves as the source material for around 100 long-form television dramas, 90 animated productions and 450 comics. It also authorized about 9,000 new micro-drama adaptations annually, a 463 percent increase from the previous year.
