Chinese AI Token Usage
Price Shapes AI Token Usage
Chinese models in OpenRouter's top ten averaged $1.34 per million output tokens. American models averaged $9.20 – nearly seven times more.
Chinese AI Token Usage
Chinese Models Lead Token Usage
In March 2026, Chinese models in OpenRouter's top ten processed 59.81% of the tokens. American models trailed by nearly 20 percentage points.
Chinese AI Token Usage
The Most Competitive AI Market
In March 2026, Xiaomi – the Apple of China – led Chinese AI labs in tokens processed. The gap between the five labs is just 14 percentage points.
Chinese AI Token Usage
The Fastest-Growing AI Model
Step 3.5 Flash, a free model by StepFun in China, grew token usage 389% in March 2026. That made it the fastest-growing model on OpenRouter.
Chinese AI Token Usage
China Leads The AI Token Race
In March 2026, five Chinese models in OpenRouter's top ten processed 24.73 trillion tokens. That is 49% more than the five American models combined.