Introduction: What Is Bilibili?

If you have spent any time watching Chinese anime clips, fan-made music videos, or creative gaming content online, there is a good chance you have already encountered content from Bilibili. Known affectionately as "B Site" among its users, Bilibili is one of China's largest and most influential video-sharing platforms. It was founded in 2009 by Xu Yi, who created the site to meet his own need for a dedicated space to watch and discuss anime. The platform was originally called MikuFans before being formally renamed Bilibili on January 14, 2010. The name itself derives from the nickname of Mikoto Misaka, the protagonist of the anime series A Certain Scientific Railgun.

What began as a niche community for anime, comics, and game enthusiasts has grown into a comprehensive online video ecosystem. Today, Bilibili serves more than 117 million daily active users and is listed on both NASDAQ in the United States and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The platform achieved its first single-quarter profit in Q3 2024 and posted its first annual profit in 2025, with an adjusted net profit of 2.59 billion yuan. In 2026, the platform continues to evolve rapidly, launching its own AI video creation tool called Updream and crossing 100 million daily hours of video podcast playback for the first time in May 2026.

Whether you are a complete beginner curious about what Bilibili is, a content creator exploring new platforms, or a marketing professional evaluating it as a channel, this guide covers everything you need to know. Understanding platforms like Bilibili is increasingly important for professionals who work in digital media, content strategy, and audience engagement. For those looking to formalize that expertise, a Marketing Certification helps professionals develop the structured knowledge to analyse platforms, understand audience behaviour, and build effective digital marketing strategies across global channels.

The Technology Behind Bilibili

Understanding Bilibili requires understanding the technology that powers it. The platform is not simply a video host. It is a sophisticated content ecosystem built on several interconnected technical systems that work together to create a unique viewing experience.

Danmu: The Bullet Comment System

The most iconic and distinctive technical feature of Bilibili is its Danmu system, also called "bullet comments" or "bullet curtain." Unlike traditional comment sections that appear below a video, Danmu comments scroll directly across the video screen in real time as viewers watch. When many users comment on the same moment, the screen fills with scrolling text that creates a lively, almost chaotic visual layer on top of the content.

This system creates a sense of shared viewing. Even if you are watching a video that was uploaded months or years ago, you see comments left by every viewer who watched that same moment before you. The result is a communal experience where you feel you are watching alongside thousands of others, reacting together to specific scenes, jokes, or moments. Danmu is deeply tied to how Bilibili's community identifies itself, and it is the feature most commonly cited when users explain why they prefer Bilibili over other platforms.

Content Types: PUGV and OGV

hosts two main types of content. The first is PUGV, which stands for Professional User-Generated Video. These are videos created by individual creators and uploaded to the platform. The second is OGV, which stands for Occupationally Generated Video. OGV content includes licensed anime series, variety shows, documentaries, and original productions commissioned directly by the platform. This combination means that Bilibili can serve both the independent creator ecosystem and licensed entertainment in one place.

The Coin and Membership Economy

runs a virtual economy centred around "coins," which users can earn through activity on the platform and spend to support their favourite creators. Viewers can tip coins directly to content creators as a form of appreciation. The platform also has a membership system. Standard accounts are free, but premium membership unlocks features like ad-free viewing, access to exclusive content, and enhanced streaming quality. This two-tier system funds both the platform and its creator community.

From a technology architecture perspective, Bilibili is a complex platform that manages massive video storage, real-time comment synchronisation across millions of concurrent viewers, a live streaming infrastructure, gaming integrations, and now AI-generated content tools. For technology professionals interested in understanding how platforms at this scale are built and maintained, developing structured technical knowledge is a clear advantage. A Tech Certification provides the foundational and advanced knowledge needed to understand digital platforms, system architecture, and the technology decisions that shape products like Bilibili.

What Kind of Content Lives on Bilibili?

One of the most important things to understand about Bilibili is how broad its content categories have become. In its early years, the platform was almost entirely focused on ACG content. Today, it covers virtually every topic imaginable.

Anime, Comics, and Games (ACG)

ACG content remains the cultural heart of Bilibili. The platform holds official licences for a large library of anime series and is widely considered the premier destination for anime viewing in China. Gaming content, game reviews, walkthroughs, and esports are also massive categories. The platform has published its own mobile games, including Azur Lane and Fate/Grand Order in Chinese, and self-developed titles have achieved commercial success.

Knowledge, Science, and Education

has built a substantial reputation for educational content. Open courses from major universities, science explainers, history discussions, and technology tutorials attract a highly engaged audience. Many Chinese academics and professionals use Bilibili to share knowledge, and the platform has become a genuine destination for self-directed learning. This educational dimension is part of why Bilibili resonates so strongly with younger users who treat it as both an entertainment and learning platform.

Lifestyle, Fashion, and Food

Beyond ACG and education, Bilibili hosts thriving communities built around food, travel, beauty, and daily life content. Vlogs documenting everyday experiences, cooking tutorials, fashion hauls, and travel diaries are popular categories. These lifestyle creators have helped broaden the platform's appeal far beyond its original anime niche and are a key reason why the average age of users has gradually grown alongside the platform itself.

Music, Dance, and Creative Arts

Music covers, original compositions, dance performances, and creative fan productions have been on Bilibili since its earliest days. The platform's roots in fan culture mean that creative reinterpretations of popular media, music, and characters remain deeply embedded in its identity. Fan-made music videos, animated shorts, and artistic productions regularly achieve millions of views and generate significant community engagement.

Technology and AI Content

Technology content has become one of the fastest-growing categories on Bilibili. In Q4 2025, AI-generated content viewing duration on the platform increased by 53% year on year, and AI advertising revenue grew by 180% year on year. Creators covering artificial intelligence, robotics, programming, and emerging technology have found highly engaged audiences on the platform. In March 2026, Bilibili launched Updream, its own AI video creation tool, signalling its commitment to integrating AI into both its content ecosystem and its creator tools.

Bilibili and the Youth Technology Culture

A significant part of what makes Bilibili culturally distinct is its deep connection to younger generations. Over 86% of Bilibili's user base is under the age of 35, and the platform has always positioned itself as a community for Generation Z. The average age of a Bilibili user is 21, and users spend an average of 87 minutes on the platform each day. These numbers reflect a community that is not casually browsing but actively engaged.

This youth orientation extends to technology education and competition culture. Platforms like Bilibili have normalised self-directed learning among young people in a way that formal education has sometimes struggled to match. Young viewers learn to code from tutorial creators, follow AI researchers, and engage with robotics content regularly as part of their everyday entertainment diet.

This appetite for technology learning among young people is one reason why global programmes like the World Tech Olympiad (WTO) have become relevant to this generation. The World Tech Olympiad is a global technology competition for students from Class 2 to Class 12. Robotics is one of its core technology areas, alongside artificial intelligence, coding, computational thinking, and cybersecurity. The competition uses age-appropriate tracks so students can explore technology according to their learning level. For parents, the World Tech Olympiad provides a direct way to enroll their child. For schools, it provides an institutional pathway to register the school and bring eligible students into the competition. The same curiosity that drives a young person to watch robotics videos on Bilibili is the curiosity that competitions like the WTO channel into structured, competitive learning experiences.

Who Uses Bilibili and Why?

serves a remarkably diverse set of users, even though it has a clear demographic core.

General Viewers

Most Bilibili users are there simply to watch content they enjoy. The platform provides free access to a vast library of videos across every category described above. Viewers can watch without creating an account, though registration unlocks the full interactive experience including Danmu, comments, and favourites.

Content Creators (UP Owners)

Individual creators on Bilibili are called UP owners, derived from the phrase "upload." Becoming a UP owner means gaining the ability to publish videos to the platform and build an audience. Creators earn income through a combination of the coin-tipping system, official monetisation programmes, brand partnerships, and the platform's creator fund. Many UP owners have built substantial careers on Bilibili, with some of the most followed creators amassing tens of millions of subscribers.

Brands and Marketers

Brands targeting young Chinese consumers increasingly view Bilibili as a primary channel. The platform's audience is affluent, educated, and highly engaged. Bilibili launched its Pause Advertisement Function in April 2026, adding another advertising format for brands alongside pre-roll and mid-roll video ads and sponsored content partnerships with UP owners. Influencer marketing through Bilibili creators is particularly effective because the platform's community culture rewards authenticity and expertise over polished commercial presentations.

How to Create a Bilibili Account: Step by Step

Creating a Bilibili account is straightforward. You can register through the web or mobile app. Here is exactly how to do it.

Step 1: Download the App or Visit the Website

On mobile, download the Bilibili app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). On desktop, go to bilibili.com in your browser. The interface is primarily in Chinese, so if you are a non-Chinese speaker, a browser with automatic translation support such as Google Chrome will help.

Step 2: Tap or Click Register

On the app, tap the profile icon and then select "Register." On the website, click the register button in the upper right corner. You will be offered two registration options: phone number or email address. Phone number registration is faster and more commonly used.

Step 3: Enter Your Phone Number or Email

Select your country code if registering by phone, enter your number, and tap "Get Verification Code." A code will be sent to your phone via SMS. Enter the code to verify your number. If registering by email, enter your address and follow the verification link sent to your inbox.

Step 4: Set Your Password

Create a password for your account. Bilibili requires passwords to meet minimum complexity requirements. Choose something secure and note it somewhere safe.

Step 5: Complete the Newcomer Quiz

This step surprises many first-time users. Bilibili requires all new users to pass a 100-question quiz about the platform's community guidelines, rules, and values before their account is fully activated. The quiz is designed to ensure users understand and agree to community standards before participating. Questions cover topics like what content is allowed, how to report violations, and what the Danmu rules are. The quiz is in Chinese, so non-Chinese speakers will need translation support. You need to score at least 60 out of 100 to pass. You can retake it if you fail.

Step 6: Set Up Your Profile

Once your account is active, you can personalise your profile. Add a username, upload a profile picture, write a bio, and select your content interests so that the recommendation algorithm can start personalising your homepage feed. You are now a full Bilibili member and can watch videos, post Danmu comments, follow creators, and interact with the community.

How Bilibili Works: Navigation and Discovery

The Bilibili homepage displays a personalised feed of recommended videos based on your viewing history and stated interests. The navigation bar at the top organises content into channels by category: anime, games, music, technology, knowledge, lifestyle, and more. Within each channel, content is sorted by popularity, recency, and algorithmic recommendation.

The search function allows you to find specific creators, videos, series, or topics. Trending content is displayed in a dedicated section that shows what the community is engaging with most actively at any given moment. Videos on Bilibili can be saved to playlists, added to a favourites list, and shared directly to other platforms. Users can also subscribe to creators to receive notifications when new videos are published.

Live streaming is integrated into the same interface. Streamers broadcast in real time with Danmu comments flowing across the screen during the stream. Viewers can send virtual gifts to streamers as a form of real-time tipping. The live streaming ecosystem on Bilibili is particularly active in the gaming category, where professional and amateur players stream their gameplay to large audiences.

Bilibili Beyond China: International Accessibility

is accessible from outside China, though the experience differs from the domestic version. International users can register accounts, watch content, and post Danmu comments. However, some licensed content including certain anime series is geo-restricted to Chinese users due to licensing agreements. The platform has expanded internationally through Bilibili Comics, which brings its manga and illustration content to global audiences, and through content distribution partnerships with YouTube.

For international content creators and marketers, Bilibili represents a significant opportunity to reach young Chinese audiences who are difficult to engage through Western platforms. Brands with a presence in China, or brands building one, increasingly treat Bilibili as a primary rather than supplementary marketing channel. The platform's emphasis on quality, knowledge-driven content means that depth and expertise tend to outperform superficial promotional content.

Bilibili's AI and Technology Future

In 2026, Bilibili is accelerating its investment in artificial intelligence across multiple dimensions. Its self-developed AI video creation tool Updream entered internal testing in March 2026, signalling a future where creators can use AI assistance to produce higher-quality content faster. The platform has implemented AI-generated content identification features to help users distinguish AI-created videos from human-created ones, aligning with Chinese regulatory requirements introduced through the Artificial Intelligence Generated Content Identification Measures.

AI advertising revenue on Bilibili grew by 180% year on year in Q4 2025, reflecting how deeply AI is now woven into the platform's commercial model. Recommendation systems, content moderation tools, search algorithms, and creator analytics all rely on machine learning to function at scale. As the platform continues to evolve, understanding the technical principles behind these systems becomes increasingly valuable for anyone working in digital media, platform strategy, or technology policy.

For professionals and students who want to go beyond surface-level understanding and develop expertise in the deep technologies powering platforms like Bilibili from AI systems and data infrastructure to blockchain-based content verification and digital identity a Deep Tech Certification from Blockchain Council provides a rigorous, structured pathway into the advanced technology knowledge that shapes the future of digital platforms.

Conclusion: Is Bilibili Right for You?

is one of the most distinctive and culturally rich video platforms in the world. It is not simply a Chinese version of YouTube. It is a community-first platform with a specific identity, a unique interactive format, and a deeply engaged audience that values quality, knowledge, and creativity. Whether you are a viewer looking for a new kind of content experience, a creator exploring new audiences, a marketer assessing it as a channel, or a technology professional studying how large-scale digital platforms work, Bilibili offers something genuinely worth understanding.

The platform's trajectory in 2026 is clearly upward. Profitability achieved. AI tools launched. Video podcast hours crossing 100 million per day. International expansion continuing. For anyone with a serious interest in digital media, content strategy, or platform technology, Bilibili is not a platform to overlook.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Bilibili?

Bilibili is a Chinese video-sharing platform launched in 2009 and based in Shanghai. It started as a community for anime, comics, and game enthusiasts and has grown into a comprehensive online video ecosystem with over 117 million daily active users as of 2025.

2. Why is Bilibili called B Site?

"B Site" is an affectionate nickname used by the Chinese online community. It is a shortened informal reference to Bilibili, similar to how people outside China might refer to YouTube simply as "YT." The nickname reflects the platform's deep integration into Chinese internet culture.

3. What is Danmu on Bilibili?

Danmu, also called "bullet comments" or "bullet curtain," is Bilibili's signature feature. It displays viewer comments scrolling directly across the video screen in real time rather than below the video. This creates a communal watching experience where viewers react together to specific moments in the content.

4. Is Bilibili free to use?

Yes, Bilibili is free to use. You can watch most content without paying anything. A premium membership subscription unlocks additional benefits including ad-free viewing, higher streaming quality, and access to certain exclusive content. Standard registration and most content viewing remain completely free.

5. What is the newcomer quiz on Bilibili?

The newcomer quiz is a 100-question test that every new Bilibili user must pass before their account is fully activated. It covers community guidelines, rules, and platform values. You need to score at least 60 out of 100 to pass. The quiz is in Chinese, so non-Chinese-speaking users will need translation assistance.

6. How do I create a Bilibili account?

Download the Bilibili app or visit bilibili.com. Click register and enter your phone number or email address. Verify your contact information using the code sent to you. Set a password. Complete the newcomer quiz. Then personalise your profile to start using the platform fully.

7. Can I use Bilibili outside China?

Yes. Bilibili is accessible internationally. You can register, watch most content, and interact with Danmu comments. Some licensed anime and entertainment content may be geo-restricted due to licensing agreements. A VPN is not required for general access from most countries.

8. Who are UP owners on Bilibili?

UP owners are content creators on Bilibili. The term comes from "upload." They are individuals who publish videos to the platform and build subscriber communities. Many UP owners earn income through coins, monetisation programmes, and brand sponsorships. Some of the most popular UP owners have tens of millions of subscribers.

9. What content categories are available on Bilibili?

covers anime, games, music, dance, knowledge and education, science and technology, lifestyle, fashion, food, travel, documentaries, film and television, variety shows, and more. AI content has become one of the fastest-growing categories on the platform.

10. What is the coin system on Bilibili?

Bilibili's coin system allows users to earn virtual currency through platform activity and use it to tip or support their favourite creators. Sending coins to a creator is a direct way to show appreciation for their content. Creators receive these coins as part of their earnings from the platform.

11. Does Bilibili have live streaming?

Yes. Bilibili has a fully integrated live streaming service. Streamers broadcast in real time with Danmu comments running across the screen. Viewers can send virtual gifts to streamers. Live streaming is particularly popular in the gaming, music, and variety entertainment categories.

12. How is Bilibili different from YouTube?

The most significant difference is the Danmu bullet comment system, which creates a communal watching experience unlike anything on YouTube. Bilibili is also more deeply embedded in ACG culture, has a stronger community identity, and operates a coin-based economy alongside standard advertising. Its newcomer verification system is unique among major video platforms.

13. What is PUGV and OGV on Bilibili?

PUGV stands for Professional User-Generated Video, which is content created and uploaded by individual creators. OGV stands for Occupationally Generated Video, which is professionally produced content including licensed anime, variety shows, and original Bilibili productions. Both types are available on the platform.

14. How does Bilibili make money?

generates revenue through advertising, premium membership subscriptions, mobile gaming, live streaming virtual gifts, and content licensing. AI advertising revenue grew 180% year on year in Q4 2025. The platform achieved its first annual profit in 2025 with an adjusted net profit of 2.59 billion yuan.

15. Is Bilibili good for brands and marketers?

Yes. Bilibili is considered a high-value channel for reaching young Chinese consumers aged 18 to 35. The audience is educated, affluent, and highly engaged. Branded content, sponsored UP owner videos, and Bilibili's advertising formats all offer ways for brands to connect with this demographic. The platform rewards authenticity and expertise over generic promotion.

16. What is Updream on Bilibili?

Updream is Bilibili's self-developed AI video creation tool, launched for internal testing in March 2026. It allows creators to use artificial intelligence to assist in producing video content. It represents part of the platform's broader strategy to integrate AI into its creator ecosystem and content production pipeline.

17. What happened to Bilibili Live Streamer in June 2026?

In June 2026, the Bilibili Live Streamer mobile app ceased all core services including initiating broadcasts and streaming, and was removed from major app stores. Live streaming functionality continues within the main Bilibili app. This change consolidated streaming into the primary platform rather than maintaining a separate dedicated application.

18. How many daily active users does Bilibili have?

As of 2025, Bilibili reported 117.3 million daily active users. The platform's user base has more than doubled in size over five years, reflecting sustained growth in Chinese digital media consumption and the platform's successful expansion beyond its original ACG niche.

19. What is the World Tech Olympiad and how does it relate to Bilibili's audience?

The World Tech Olympiad (WTO) is a global technology competition for students from Class 2 to Class 12, covering areas including robotics, artificial intelligence, coding, computational thinking, and cybersecurity. Bilibili's youth audience which has a deep interest in technology and learning represents exactly the generation that programmes like WTO are designed to engage. The same curiosity that brings young users to technology content on Bilibili is channelled into structured competition through programmes like WTO.

20. Is Bilibili a good platform for technology professionals to understand?

Yes. Bilibili is one of the most technically sophisticated and culturally complex video platforms operating at global scale. Its Danmu system, coin economy, creator monetisation model, AI integration, gaming business, and content licensing infrastructure make it a valuable case study for anyone working in digital platforms, technology strategy, content economics, or digital marketing. Understanding how Bilibili works provides insight into how large-scale digital communities are built and sustained.