Bilibili Sets Sail on a New Course: Q1 2026 Results Highlight Community-Driven Growth
Bilibili, the leading online entertainment platform in China, has kicked off the year with impressive momentum. The company's first-quarter 2026 results reveal significant growth across its community, commercialization, and profitability, marking a solid start to the new year.
According to Mr. Rui Chen, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, "High-quality content and authentic experience continue to drive organic growth and deepen user engagement." This is reflected in the company's impressive metrics: DAUs (daily active users) grew 8% year-over-year to 115 million, while MAUs (monthly active users) increased to 376 million. Average daily time spent on the platform reached a new high of 119 minutes, up 11 minutes from the previous year.
This level of engagement has proven to be a powerful engine for Bilibili's commercial business. The company delivered robust advertising revenue growth of 30% year-over-year, further accelerating from 2025. Meanwhile, MPUs (monthly paying users) increased by 7% year-over-year to 34.4 million as more users directly pay for content and services they truly care about on the platform.
As a result, Bilibili's total revenues grew 7% year-over-year to RMB 7.5 billion, while gross profit was up 9% year-over-year with a gross margin of 37.1%. The company's operating profit was over 10 times what it was a year ago, and on a non-GAAP basis, net profit grew by 62% year-over-year with an adjusted net profit margin expanding to 7.8%.
The results confirm a fundamental shift in user behavior, as users are increasingly choosing to spend more time on quality content. Bilibili's focus on high-quality PUGV (programming, user-generated video) content and authentic community experience has resonated with users, who are turning to the platform for deeper insights and engagement.
ACG (animation, comic, game) remains the company's cultural anchor, with watch time for games and Chinese anime growing 27% and 20% year-over-year, respectively. Knowledge-based content, including AI-related information, grew 20% year-over-year as users turn to Bilibili for deeper insights.
Music categories also saw robust growth with a 25% year-over-year increase in time spent, largely driven by AIGC music. Consumption-related categories kept rising, with watch time for parenting and early education and outdoor-related categories surging by more than 50% year-over-year.
The company is now leveraging AI to further enhance its ecosystem, focusing on three key areas: how they understand videos, recommend them, and help creators build them. By combining the heart of their community with the power of their technology, Bilibili is creating lasting value for both users and shareholders.
