OpenAI gives token awards to top API users, accelerating its push to win over developers

OpenAI is reinforcing its developer ecosystem lock-in by awarding physical silver, black, and blue tokens to companies with heavy cumulative API usage.

The program has surfaced domestic examples such as Danggeun and Plaiter, highlighting how OpenAI publicly recognizes major API customers.

By rewarding high-volume users, OpenAI aims to boost brand loyalty and raise switching costs for developers and enterprise clients.

The move could shape long-term competition in AI models and coding agents like Codex and Anthropic’s Claude Code, while supporting future revenue stability.