Chinese AI Models Surpass US in API Usage: DeepSeek Weekly Token Volume Exceeds 7.3 Trillion
According to OpenRouter data, Chinese LLMs surpassed US models in weekly token volume by March 22, 2026, exceeding 7.3 trillion tokens. Led by DeepSeek-V3.2, Chinese models leverage open-source strategies, significantly lower costs, and efficient MoE architectures to rapidly expand global market share.
Chinese AI Models Surpass US in API Usage
OpenRouter data reveals that Chinese LLMs exceeded US models in weekly token volume by March 22, 2026, reaching over 7.3 trillion tokens with 50%+ week-over-week growth. DeepSeek-V3.2 leads the charge with costs roughly one-tenth of GPT-5.4, while the rise of AI agents like OpenClaw amplifies demand for cost-efficient models.