# China's gray market resells Claude tokens via USDT-funded cards and proxies

Digest AI · Business & Funding · published 2026-10-05T08:10:01Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/china-s-gray-market-resells-claude-tokens-via-usdt-funded-cards-and-pr

## Summary

In Beijing's Haidian District, a hub for universities and tech firms, a gray market has emerged that trades access to Claude AI accounts. The market operates through a network of token resellers who accumulate multiple identities and fund USDT‑backed cards to purchase Claude tokens, then route the usage through proxy servers.

The report notes that six of the roughly 30 tenants in a local building are involved in this activity. By using stacked identities and cryptocurrency‑funded payment methods, the resellers can bypass regional restrictions and sell AI access to customers who otherwise could not obtain it directly. The practice highlights a growing underground ecosystem that leverages financial anonymity and technical workarounds to distribute AI services.

The article does not provide details on the scale of revenue or the identities of the operators, but it underscores how demand for advanced conversational AI is prompting illicit supply chains in China.

## Key points

- A gray market in Beijing's Haidian District trades Claude AI tokens.
- Resellers use accumulated identities and USDT‑funded cards to buy accounts.
- Six of roughly 30 tenants in a local building are involved.

## Why it matters

The illicit supply chain shows how demand for advanced AI drives underground markets, affecting pricing, security, and regulatory oversight.

## Sources

1. [A look at China's gray market of token resellers, who use accumulated identities and USDT-funded cards to obtain Claude accounts and route them through proxies](https://theinformation.com/articles/chinas-token-resellers-create-anthropic-gray-market) (theinformation.com, 2026-10-05)

## Cite

Digest AI, "China's gray market resells Claude tokens via USDT-funded cards and proxies", 5 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/china-s-gray-market-resells-claude-tokens-via-usdt-funded-cards-and-pr

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