Catenaa, February 11, 2026 – Chinese AI stocks jumped as investors cheered a fresh wave of model releases, led by Zhipu AI’s latest flagship launch. Zhipu’s shares surged about 30% in Hong Kong trade, lifting sector sentiment.
Zhipu AI unveiled its GLM-5 model, which it claims rivals major global AI systems in coding and long-running agent tasks. The company uses domestically made chips from Huawei and others to develop the technology.
MiniMax also strengthened its presence with the upgraded open-source M2.5 model, designed for business and productivity use cases. Rival Chinese developers, including ByteDance, launched next-generation AI tools in video generation.
The rally reflects growing confidence in China’s AI industry as companies push innovative releases ahead of the Lunar New Year. Zhipu is one of the country’s top “AI tiger” firms and has gained prominence since its Hong Kong IPO.
Zhipu also recently hiked the price of its coding plan by at least 30% due to rising demand for its AI coding assistance tools.
Investors are watching broader Chinese indices for signs of tech momentum. The Shanghai Composite has shown modest strength, with some technology stocks outperforming on optimism about AI-led growth.
Policy support for innovation and self-sufficiency in semiconductors and software drives China’s AI market. Zhipu and its peers are considered key players domestically following significant IPO activity in 2025.
However, hurdles remain. China’s AI commercialisation could lag due to global competition and export restrictions on cutting-edge chips. Still, strong model performance and expanding enterprise demand underpin the stock rally.
Zhipu’s momentum underscores investor appetite for firms that combine AI model quality with scalable revenue potential. As the sector matures, execution and monetization will shape the long-term winners in China’s fast-evolving AI space.
