The MiniMax API is prepaid and deducted by usage, so requests fail when the balance runs out. For teams in mainland China, the hard part is often not model capability but topping up: which site to use, which currency, how long settlement takes, whether a company-title invoice is available, and whether the balance is refundable.

This article separates the two paths — official top-up and domestic gateway top-up — and covers online payment, bank transfer, exchange rates, invoices, refunds, and enterprise procurement. Specific amounts and exchange rates follow the top-up page.

Note: MiniMax is a trademark of its owner; this article is for technical explanation only and is not affiliated with MiniMax. Top-up methods, invoice rules, and billing conventions may change; this article uses public documentation as of October 2026, so re-check official pages before paying.

1. First, confirm which kind of balance you are topping up

"Top-up" in the MiniMax system can mean three different balances with different purposes and validity periods:

Balance type Main purpose Validity and deduction Confirm before paying
API pay-as-you-go balance Program calls, charged by usage Deducted as used; requests fail when insufficient Currency, invoice, refund
Subscription plan Periodic quota for official products and Agents Per subscription period; rules follow the page Scope, quota ceiling
Voice or video resource pack Dedicated quota for a specific capability Has an expiry; unused balance does not carry over and resets to zero Supported models, refundability

Official documentation states that resource-pack balances do not carry over and reset to zero on expiry; subscription plans and API balances are also two separate quotas. Before paying, confirm which type you are buying.

2. Official online top-up: suited to small validation

Official online top-up suits teams that want to get the pipeline working first and scale up later. The flow is: log in to the open platform, complete identity verification, open the balance page, choose an amount and payment method, pay, and confirm the balance arrives.

Official documentation lists WeChat Pay as an online method; other options follow the page. After funds arrive, confirm the balance, check the transaction record, and set a low-balance alert; official notifications support email, SMS, and in-site messages.

If payment succeeds but the balance does not change, save the order number and a screenshot, then contact support; do not pay twice. Small validation amounts are the safest.

3. Official bank transfer: common for enterprise procurement

Bank transfer suits teams that need contracts, invoices, and a company payment process. Official documentation states that bank transfer is for enterprise users, and the paying account name must match the verified entity; funds typically land in about 10 minutes to 1 hour after arrival, subject to bank processing speed.

Confirm four things before paying: whether the receiving account comes from an official page, whether the payer matches the verified entity, whether the contract amount matches the top-up amount, and whether invoice requirements are settled. Keep the receipt after payment; for larger amounts, test with a small transfer first.

If funds have been sent but the balance has not updated, prepare the receipt, order number, payer entity, and payment time, then contact support. Do not transfer money to unconfirmed accounts based on chat records, and do not hand account passwords to a third-party agent.

4. Gateway top-up: RMB, one balance, and multiple models

If you need RMB payment, a unified bill, and one key for several model vendors, a domestic AI gateway works. Take the ZSQH AI Gateway as an example:

  1. Open the sign-up page, create an account, and complete your information.
  2. Go to the top-up page and confirm the amount, payment method, and invoice requirements.
  3. Complete payment and confirm the balance arrives.
  4. Create an API key and set a quota cap per project.
  5. Verify the key, balance, and model with a minimal request.
  6. Check usage and deductions, and archive order and invoice records.

After topping up, send one minimal request through the OpenAI-compatible entry:

export ZSQH_API_KEY="sk-your-key"

curl "https://ai.zhongshangqihang.com/v1/chat/completions" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ZSQH_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "MiniMax-M3",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Reply with OK only"}],
    "max_tokens": 16
  }'

A 200 response with content means the key, balance, and model all work. For authentication errors, check the key and Base URL first; for insufficient balance, check whether the top-up arrived, the key quota cap, and whether the model is enabled; 429 usually means rate limiting.

Gateway balances and official balances generally cannot be transferred to each other. Which path to choose depends on payment method, invoice requirements, and whether you need multi-model management. Models and prices follow model pricing.

5. Exchange rates, fees, and the amount received

The domestic open platform prices in RMB; the international site may use different currencies and payment methods, with separate account systems; overseas payments may also incur currency conversion fees, which should be considered separately during reconciliation.

Gateway top-ups are usually settled in RMB, with the provider completing upstream settlement behind the scenes. Check three layers of cost: the settlement exchange rate, the payment-channel fee, and the service fee.

Usable quota = amount paid ÷ settlement rate − channel fee − service fee.

RMB top-ups do not involve personal currency exchange, but still confirm whether a service fee applies and whether bonus balance is tracked separately. Bonus balance is usually non-refundable, non-invoiceable, may expire, and may be deducted in a different order.

If the top-up page says only "pay X, get X" without stating the conversion basis and fees, ask for a written explanation before paying. Do not use third-party top-up agents that ask for account passwords, and do not hand over an enterprise account to outsiders for a lower price.

6. Invoices and enterprise procurement: put the terms in the purchase order before paying

Official invoices are requested on the invoice management page in the console. The invoice title must match the verified entity; a personal account cannot issue a company-title invoice and must complete enterprise verification first. The invoiceable amount follows what the page shows, and voucher-covered portions are not invoiceable.

Different official pages are not fully consistent about the invoiceable amount; when applying, read the amount shown on the invoice management page rather than calculating it yourself. Invoice types, tax rates, and issuance times are not fully documented on public pages, so confirm with support before paying.

Gateway top-ups usually provide RMB top-up and enterprise invoices, with specifics subject to the top-up page and terms. In the purchase order, state clearly:

  • Contract amount, invoice type, tax rate, issuance time, and rules for reissuing.
  • Whether the payer, verified entity, and invoice title match.
  • Whether the receiving account matches the official or gateway page.
  • Refund conditions and ownership of unused balance.
  • API key handover, quotas, and revocation on staff departure.

Writing these questions down before payment is easier than supplying materials afterwards.

7. Balance alerts, refunds, and idle balance

Balance alerts are the cheapest way to limit losses. Official accounts support a low-balance threshold with email, SMS, or in-site messages; gateways typically support quota caps per account or key. Production should have at least two levels: alert below one week of usage, escalate below two days of usage.

Official documentation makes no blanket refund promise; cash balance, bonus balance, consumed amounts, and resource packs may be handled differently, and whether, how much, and where refunds are possible follow platform terms.

Resource packs have expiry dates, unused balance does not carry over, and it resets to zero on expiry, so they are not suitable for stockpiling; subscription plans run per period, with rules on the subscription page. The safest approach is small, frequent top-ups.

On security: keep keys only in server-side environment variables, never in frontends or code repositories; one key per project, revoked promptly when someone leaves; verify domains and payees before paying; never disclose passwords or verification codes.

8. Post-top-up acceptance checklist

Arrival does not mean usable; verify the following:

  • A minimal request returns 200 with normal content.
  • The usage page shows this request.
  • Balance deduction roughly corresponds to usage.
  • Key quotas and balance alerts are configured.
  • The invoice amount matches the actual payment.
  • Orders, receipts, and invoices are archived.

If any item does not match, check top-up records and usage logs first, then contact support; keep receipts for at least one financial cycle.

FAQ

Can official and gateway balances be transferred to each other?

Usually not. They are balances in different account systems, topped up, consumed, and invoiced separately. You can choose one path or manage both, but do not mix balances.

How long does a top-up take to arrive?

Online payment is usually quick; follow the page prompt. Bank transfer lands about 10 minutes to 1 hour after funds arrive, subject to bank processing time. If it is overdue, check the order and receipt first, then contact support.

Can a personal account issue a company-title invoice?

Official documentation states that a personally verified account cannot issue a company-title invoice; complete enterprise verification first and ensure the title matches the verified entity. Enterprise buyers should complete verification before paying.

Can unused balance be refunded?

Official documentation makes no blanket refund promise. Cash balance, bonus balance, resource packs, and consumed amounts follow different rules; whether a refund is possible, the period, and the path follow platform terms, so confirm before topping up.

Why does it still say insufficient balance after a top-up?

Common causes include topping up a different site or account, a key quota cap, an unenabled model, funds not yet credited, or actually rate limiting. Check in the order of order, balance, key, and model.

Next steps

If you need RMB top-up, a unified balance, and multi-model calls, sign up for the ZSQH AI Gateway, run one request with a small amount, then split keys by project. Pricing and invoice rules follow model pricing and the top-up page.

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