China Designs AI Token Futures as Daily Usage Tops 140 Trillion
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 28
China Designs AI Token Futures as Daily Usage Tops 140 Trillion
4 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 28
Shanghai Futures Exchange is in the early stages of designing futures contracts tied to AI tokens—the units used to price AI services—though timing, launch plans and regulatory approval remain unclear.
The push is aimed at giving companies across the AI supply chain a way to hedge computing costs and helping China compete with U.S. exchanges, where CME and ICE are preparing GPU compute futures.
140 trillion tokens were used daily in China by end-March, up 1,000-fold since early 2024, as computing shortages have forced some Chinese AI models to ration user access.
China has already laid groundwork for a broader compute market, with official compute-supply indexes published in December and domestic researchers urging parliament this year to back compute-related futures.
As China launches AI 'word-currency' futures, can it win the race to price and control the future of artificial intelligence?
As AI tokens become the new oil, will this global race for 'digital fuel' trigger an unforeseen energy and environmental crisis?
From 140 Trillion Tokens to Token Futures: The Financialization and Strategic Impact of AI in China and Beyond
Overview
By March 2026, the global AI landscape—especially in China—experienced an unprecedented surge in token usage, driven by escalating AI capabilities and soaring demand for high-performance computing. China’s daily average token usage surpassed 140 trillion, marking over 40% growth since late 2025. This rapid increase reflects the commercialization and large-scale deployment of AI applications, with innovative uses like AI Agents fueling global token consumption. The efficiency of token generation has become crucial for user experience, particularly in LLM-based chatbots, highlighting how advances in AI are reshaping industries and emphasizing the central role of tokens in the evolving AI economy.