Xiaohongshu penetration hits 62% in Hong Kong

The Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu is becoming a dominant digital channel in Hong Kong. According to a recent report, over 60% of citizens are active on the platform in 2026, with adoption reaching an extraordinary 90% among the Gen Z demographic.

The Xiaohongshu 2026 Strategy for Hong Kong report, conducted by the Digital Business Lab in partnership with Standard Insights, surveyed 548 Hong Kong consumers this spring. The study set out to assess the platform's market penetration and local user behaviours, offering brands reliable consumer insights.

According to the research, approximately 62% of Hongkongers utilise Xiaohongshu, with 40% engaging with the platform on a weekly basis to research brands or product-related information. Daily active users represent 27.4% of the population, while monthly users account for 25.9%.

Roughly 40.6% of users actively seek advice or assistance on Xiaohongshu. The primary drivers for this engagement include the belief that contributors take the time to provide high-quality, detailed answers (22.6%), the support found within their own follower base (10.6%), and the high volume of community responses to specific queries (7.4%).

In contrast, 59.4% of users do not typically seek advice on the platform. The most common deterrents cited are that comments or replies are often perceived as irrelevant to the specific question (27.4%), a simple lack of intent to ask for help (24.1%), or the sentiment that they do not receive enough engagement for the feedback to be useful (7.9%).

The platform’s utility also extends into the professional sphere. Among active users, approximately 58.2% utilise Xiaohongshu for work-related tasks, while 41.8% specifically use the search function to resolve professional challenges.

Xiaohongshu’s ecosystem allows it to play a significant role throughout the consumer journey. However, its primary impact is felt during the early stages of brand awareness and consideration, rather than serving strictly as a direct sales or conversion tool. When it comes to credibility, respondents trust user-generated content (UGC) the most (52.9%), followed by content from KOLs and influencers (24.7%), and finally, official brand-led content (22.4%).

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Compared to Digital Business Lab’s 2025 survey, Xiaohongshu's penetration in Hong Kong has grown from 58% to 62% in just one year. While it has not yet overtaken the local dominance of Instagram or Facebook, it is swiftly becoming a premier destination for lifestyle discovery, authentic reviews, and peer-to-peer recommendations—particularly among younger users who prioritise transparency over polished, traditional advertising.

The study suggests that brands must fundamentally rethink their approach to influencer collaboration. The traditional sponsorship model - characterised by rigid briefings, multi-step approvals, and scheduled publications inherited from the Instagram era—is largely ineffective on Xiaohongshu.

On this platform, creator authenticity serves as the foundation of the influence ecosystem. To maintain credibility, brands must respect and protect the creative autonomy of KOLs. Simultaneously, KOLs must preserve their unique voice and independence, as these are the essential drivers of trust and genuine impact within their communities.

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