Uploading videos to Bilibili used to require handing over a passport or other ID, even for users based overseas—that barrier has now been removed. According to Semafor, Bilibili has relaunched its international Android app and no longer requires identity verification, marking the most concrete step yet in this "going global" push.
An iOS version is also on the way, confirmed by the company's official account on X. Once the new app launches, global and Chinese content will live in the same interface, ending the previous setup where overseas users could technically access the platform but rarely found it usable. Semafor reports that Bilibili is hiring across six cities—Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, Istanbul, and Tokyo—and plans to launch an English-language website so creators can upload videos without wrestling with a Chinese-language interface.
The report also notes that Bilibili is reaching out to YouTubers, trying to convince them to bring their content onto the platform. If it manages to land a sizable group of Western creators, that could genuinely put pressure on YouTube—especially since Google's video platform is already dealing with Netflix muscling in on the market through video podcasts and creator-focused content. Bloomberg has even reported that YouTube is negotiating paid deals requiring channels to premiere content exclusively on YouTube rather than spreading it across multiple platforms.
But removing the verification barrier and scaling up its Western user base also puts Bilibili in a sensitive spot. TikTok was ultimately forced to sell off its U.S. operations over "national security concerns"—whether Bilibili faces similar regulatory scrutiny if it gains real traction in Western markets is a question this expansion can't sidestep. So far, there's no indication that U.S. regulators have taken any action against Bilibili; this remains purely speculative for now.
What's confirmed at this point is limited to the app relaunch, the removal of identity verification, and hiring plans across six cities—plus an English-language website that's "in the works." The report offers no further details on the progress of courting YouTubers or a launch date for the English site.
