Are you raising lobsters?” OpenClaw has gone viral, how should investors seize the opportunity?

“Are you raising lobsters?” – This seemingly tech-unrelated greeting is quietly becoming the most iconic social catchphrase in the AI field at the beginning of 2026.

Behind this lies the globally popular open-source AI agent 'OpenClaw' (with an icon of a red lobster). Notably, it took only about a month from when the project sparked market enthusiasm to when local governments quickly responded and introduced special support policies. This not only confirms its technological influence but also highlights the authorities' high attention to emerging AI ecosystems.

On March 7, Longgang District of Shenzhen released the 'Several Measures to Support OpenClaw & OPC Development (Draft for Public Comment)', which focuses on two buzzwords: OpenClaw and 'One-Person Company' (OPC), and has been dubbed the 'Lobster Ten' by the industry.This is the first district-level policy nationwide specifically targeting OpenClaw intelligent agents. Its rapid issuance and strong focus have drawn widespread attention in the industry.

Additionally, WorkBuddy, the all-scenario AI intelligent agent under Tencent, officially launched today. It is reported that it is fully compatible with OpenClaw’s capabilities; after downloading and installing it from the official website, simply input commands to let WorkBuddy perform tasks. If users want to control it remotely via WeCom, configuration and connection can be completed within a minute. Moreover, it can integrate with tools like QQ, Lark, and DingTalk.

However, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Cybersecurity Threat and Vulnerability Information Sharing Platform also issued an urgent reminder yesterday: Certain instances of the OpenClaw open-source AI intelligent agent pose significant security risks when improperly or default-configured, making them highly susceptible to cyberattacks and information leaks.

But looking at the present, how does the popularity of OpenClaw affect AI development? What opportunities are there for investors?

What is the impact of OpenClaw’s popularity on AI development?

Overall, the biggest disruption brought by OpenClaw is that AI has transitioned from“a consultant who can only talk”to“an employee who can take action.”Openclaw has ushered in the first year of AIAgent's personal open-source deployment, much like DeepSeek in 2025. This is accompanied by a surge in demand and trends for massive Agent consumption.

Some brokerages believe thatA small step for 'Little Lobster' represents a giant leap for the times.From Pro to B-end, from data organization to deep office work, all will benefit. This is similar to the release of DeepSeek at the beginning of 2025, with 'Little Lobster' playing an educational role across society.

Guolian Minsheng Securities believes that two major growth engines—Tokens going global and 'Lobster'—are now fully activated. Along with rising price trends, China’s cloud computing industry may be approaching a significant turning point, poised for high revenue and profit growth simultaneously.

BOC International notes that OpenClaw’s popularity indicates users in the AI era need intelligent agents capable of executing complex tasks. At the same time, this creates entirely new 'model consumption scenarios.'

What opportunities are there for investors?

The explosive popularity of OpenClaw essentially marks the industrial tipping point where AI Agents transition from concept to implementation. In this trend, the following four areas will become core beneficiaries.

Compute consumers (most direct): Domestic large model vendors (e.g., Kimi, MiniMax) → Surge in API call volumes, directly profiting from selling Tokens.

Compute providers ('landlords'): Cloud computing vendors → Offer 'one-click deployment' services, earning multiple revenue streams from servers, compute power, and API calls.

Hardware carriers (local brain): Chips and edge AI - The 'local-first' feature of OpenClaw is driving an explosive demand for edge chips and hardware terminals.

Application scenario providers (last mile): Software and solution providers → Integrating technology with specific business scenarios to unlock the value of 'digital employees'.

PreviouslyThe two leading AI models in Hong Kong stocks, Zhipu and MiniMax, have surged fourfold! Token globalization has triggered global computing power arbitrage. Which other companies are expected to benefit?As I’ve explained to fellow investors before, the key advantage of domestic models lies in 'computing-power synergy.'Therefore, this round of OpenClaw’s explosive popularity can focus on the following three main threads.

Main theme one: leading large model manufacturers

OpenClaw, known as a 'Token Crusher,' is completely disrupting the business logic of the AI industry. In the past, traditional AI consumed only hundreds of Tokens per conversation round; now, when performing complex tasks such as automatic programming, deep retrieval, and document generation, OpenClaw consumes millions or even tens of millions of Tokens. This massive demand has directly fueled the scale of API calls, transforming large model vendors from mere 'technology providers' into 'computing power water carriers' that profit steadily in this AI gold rush.

And$KNOWLEDGE ATLAS (02513.HK)$ and $MINIMAX-W (00100.HK)$ there is no doubt that they are the most representative big winners. Their ability to offer highly 'disruptive' pricing in the global market is rooted in China's severely undervalued electricity infrastructure dividend。

Morgan Stanley noted that the 'lobster effect' (OpenClaw ecosystem) has spurred faster-than-expected commercialization for MiniMax.Its ARR skyrocketed from $100 million to $150 million in just two months, increasing by over 50%; the usage of M2 model Tokens surged sixfold in February compared to December, while inference costs per Token dropped by more than 50% simultaneously. The upcoming M3 model aims for top-tier global capabilities, with higher gross margin expectations.

From today's market performance,MiniMax and Zhipu also rose strongly against the trend, with MiniMax briefly surpassing the HK$1,000 mark, while Zhipu gained up to 8%.

Main Line Two: Computing Power Providers - Cloud Computing Companies

Recently, OpenClaw's popularity has continued to rise, and it has become the fastest-growing open-source software project in GitHub history. Notably, Xiaomi previously launched the Xiaomi Miclaw mobile Agent, starting a small-scale closed beta test. China Merchants Securities believes thatCloud computing power services represent the most certain direction,The demand logic behind cloud providers' price increases is becoming stronger. Open Source Securities also noted that application products represented by Seedance 2.0 and OpenClaw are expected to drive a significant increase in computing power demand. Meanwhile, domestic and international cloud providers have successively issued price hike notices, further reflecting strong downstream demand for computing power.

In terms of news, mainstream domestic cloud providers such as Tencent Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, and Huawei Cloud now fully support one-click deployment services for OpenClaw, which is expected to drive a surge in cloud usage and open up new commercialization opportunities for large models.

In the Hong Kong stock market, companies like Alibaba are worth watching. $BABA-W (09988.HK)$ 、 $TENCENT (00700.HK)$ 、 $KINGSOFT CLOUD (03896.HK)$ Among them, Kingsoft Cloud, as an important computing power partner for companies like Zhipu, is also deeply benefiting from the growth in token inference demand.

Additionally, two data centers, GDS Holdings and Sun e Business Group, are also noteworthy. As a leading high-performance third-party data center (IDC) operator in China, GDS Holdings is fully transitioning to an AI computing center. Large model vendors that need to handle massive inference must rent their top-tier cabinets with high density and liquid cooling capabilities.

Sun e-Info Group has been深耕 in the IDC industry in Hong Kong, China for 25 years, boasting the number one network interconnection service in Asia. Its major shareholder, Sun Hung Kai Properties, is one of Hong Kong's largest real estate developers. Backed by Sun Hung Kai Properties, the company enjoys advantages in land, power supply, financing, engineering, and more.

Main Line Three: Hardware Carriers

OpenClaw’s focus on a 'local-first' strategy is bringing AI computing power down strongly from the cloud. This means complex AI models will be able to run smoothly on end-user devices such as personal computers and edge computing boxes. This technological breakthrough not only breaks AI's absolute reliance on the cloud but is also set to trigger an unprecedented wave of terminal-side chip and hardware upgrades, opening a new chapter in AI infrastructure investment logic.

The Hong Kong stock market can focus on terminal hardware brands Xiaomi and Lenovo.

In addition, as a derivative of computing power infrastructure, investors can pay attention to the semiconductor equipment and advanced packaging sectors within the computing power chain. $BIREN TECH (06082.HK)$$、 $ILUVATAR COREX (09903.HK)$ 、 $GIGADEVICE (03986.HK)$ 、 $SMIC (00981.HK)$$、 $CIG (06166.HK)$ 、 $YOFC (06869.HK)$ 、 $TIME INTERCON (01729.HK)$ 、 $FIT HON TENG (06088.HK)$ 、 $HANS CNC (03200.HK)$ 、 $MONTAGE TECH (06809.HK)$ are notable.

Previously“Wall Street Pricing Restructuring: J.P. Morgan Names Zhipu and MiniMax as Top Picks! What Other 'Hard Tech' Stocks in Hong Kong Are Worth Investing In?”This article also outlined the four AI battle lines currently present in the Hong Kong stock market. Fellow investors who are interested can click to view more details~

Summary

The explosive popularity of "Little Lobster" OpenClaw is not only a celebration of open-source technology but also a historic turning point for the true commercialization of AI. Evolving from chatbots designed for casual conversation to digital employees capable of "automating tasks," the rise of AI Agents is reshaping the value distribution across the entire industry chain. For investors, this main investment thesis has become crystal clear.The extreme prosperity of software applications will inevitably be built upon massive computing power consumption and a comprehensive upgrade of underlying hardware.

Faced with this rapidly changing wave of technology, instead of waiting outside the market for the perfect moment when the technological roadmap becomes absolutely clear, it's better to seize high-probability industry trends with a more perceptive perspective. From cloud computing power to edge terminals, the investment feast ignited by "Little Lobster" may just be serving the main course!

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