Major AI model providers expand into e-commerce with token sales

On September 5, 2026, IT Home reported that several large AI model providers, including Kimi, MiniMax, and Jieyue Xingchen, are in talks with Tmall to open official flagship stores and sell token subscription packages. This follows the recent move by Zhipu AI, which launched its Tmall store on September 2, offering the GLM Coding Plan subscription based on the GLM-5.3 model, compatible with over 20 mainstream agents. Tmall also launched a Token Recharge Center on September 3, partnering with domestic AI model providers such as Alibaba Cloud, Zhipu AI, Kimi, MiniMax, and DeepSeek. Among these, Alibaba Cloud and Zhipu AI operate as official flagship stores, while the others are in a proxy model. This marks a shift for AI model providers, who previously sold subscriptions through their own websites, into traditional e-commerce platforms. The expansion into Tmall signifies a broader trend of integrating AI services into consumer-centric digital ecosystems, with token subscriptions becoming a key revenue stream for large model providers.