AsianFin — Cursor, a popular AI-powered coding tool, has begun restricting access to Claude models for users in mainland China, driving a surge in usage of domestic alternative Kimi K2.

According to developer tests and an official update from Cursor on July 16, users with China-based IP addresses are now encountering “Model not available” messages when attempting to access certain Claude models. The platform noted that “some models are not available in your region,” and suggested switching to other options such as Auto mode or using technical workarounds like overseas proxies.

In the wake of these restrictions, third-party API platform OpenRouter has reported a sharp increase in traffic to Chinese large language model Kimi K2. As of July 17, Kimi K2's daily usage peaked at over 10 billion tokens, putting it alongside Elon Musk’s Grok 4 at the top of OpenRouter’s growth rankings.