The Chinese Alternative to Ads

China skipped the desktop Internet, credit cards etc ... and went straight to mobile apps. Which they monetise through subscription way more than ads like in the West. Chinese social media giants have perfected the art of monetisation, which a16z codified in a framework with 4 key elements: 

• Mixture of paid and earned perks
• An intricate point-based levelling system
• Functional features & showing-off perks
• Partnerships with other companies