China is developing plans for a futures market tied to AI tokens as it seeks to build financial tools around artificial intelligence and compete with similar efforts emerging in the US, Reuters reported Thursday.
The Shanghai Futures Exchange is conducting early research into futures contracts based on AI tokens, which represent the smallest units processed by AI systems, according to the report. One source said the work is still preliminary and partly reflects China’s strategic rivalry with the US in AI.
The initiative comes as CME Group and Intercontinental Exchange prepare GPU compute futures in the US that would track the cost of renting AI computing resources. Shanghai’s proposal would instead focus on token-based pricing for AI services.
The contracts would be designed to help businesses across the AI supply chain manage exposure to fluctuating computing costs. Sources said it is still too early to determine a launch timeline or when regulators may review the proposal.
