Anthropic is rolling out a set of major updates focused on supporting a larger number of users, improving accessibility to advanced AI, and making Claude more sustainable and cost-effective for everyday and heavy use. These changes include a permanent 10 percent reduction in the rate at which usage points and tokens are consumed, plus the introduction of a new flexible currency called Compute Credits.

In this article, we share detailed answers to the questions we’ve received about how the slower consumption rate works, how Compute Credits are earned and spent, and why we’re making these improvements. To summarize:

  • We are permanently lowering the speed at which usage points and tokens are consumed by 10 percent across all Claude products;
  • This means the same amount of conversation, coding, analysis, or creative work now lasts longer before any limits are reached;
  • We are introducing Compute Credits, a lasting currency you earn simply by using Claude products;
  • Additional Compute Credits are granted when you purchase or renew a subscription;
  • Compute Credits never expire and remain available in your account indefinitely;
  • You can spend Compute Credits in the Anthropic store or through our official Discord channels on Anthropic products, extra capacity, priority features, and related benefits;
  • These updates form part of our broader effort to rate and support more users while keeping high-quality AI accessible.

What are the new accessibility updates?

Anthropic’s goal has always been to make powerful, helpful, and safe AI available to as many people and organizations as possible. As usage has grown rapidly, we have been looking closely at how fast usage points and tokens are consumed. Starting today, that consumption rate is permanently reduced by 10 percent. In practical terms, every interaction with Claude—whether you are chatting, writing code, analyzing documents, generating images, or building with the API—now draws down your available usage more slowly.

This change applies globally and across all current Claude models and products. It does not alter the quality, speed, or capabilities of the models themselves. It simply gives every user more room to work before hitting rate or usage limits.

Alongside the efficiency improvement, we are launching Compute Credits. These credits act as a flexible, never-expiring currency that rewards continued use of Claude and provides extra value for subscribers.

How does the 10% reduction in consumption work?

Large language models like Claude process requests by consuming tokens (pieces of text) and usage points that track overall activity. Previously, each message, completion, or API call drew down those resources at a fixed rate. With the new update, that rate has been lowered by exactly 10 percent.

For example, a conversation that previously used 1,000 tokens of your allowance now uses only 900 tokens for the same length and complexity of response. The same principle applies to coding sessions, document analysis, and other workloads. The reduction is applied automatically and does not require any action on your part. You will notice the difference immediately in your usage dashboard: the same amount of productive work now lasts longer.

This adjustment was designed after extensive internal testing to ensure it remains fair, predictable, and sustainable as we continue to onboard and support more users.

What exactly are Compute Credits?

Compute Credits are a new account-level currency introduced by Anthropic. They function similarly to loyalty points or store credit, but they are specifically tied to Claude products and Anthropic services.

Key characteristics:

  • Credits are earned through normal product usage and through subscription purchases.
  • They never expire. Once credited to your account, they remain available until you choose to spend them.
  • They can be used in the Anthropic store or in our official Discord community for a range of Anthropic-related products and benefits.
  • Credits are non-transferable at launch and are linked to the Anthropic account that earned or received them.

Think of Compute Credits as a way to turn everyday interaction with Claude into lasting value that you can redeploy later—whether for extra capacity during peak periods, priority access features, official merchandise, or other offerings we make available.

How do you earn Compute Credits?

There are two primary ways to earn Compute Credits:

By using Claude products

Every time you interact with Claude—through claude.ai, the API, Claude Code, Artifacts, Projects, or other supported interfaces—you automatically accumulate Compute Credits. The more you use the products (while staying within fair-use guidelines), the more credits you build up over time. The exact earning rate is displayed in your account dashboard and may be adjusted periodically as we refine the system, but it is designed to feel rewarding without encouraging wasteful usage.

By purchasing or renewing a subscription

When you buy a Claude Pro, Team, or Enterprise subscription (or renew an existing one), you receive an allocation of Compute Credits on top of the standard plan benefits. Higher-tier plans generally grant larger credit bundles. These subscription credits are added immediately and follow the same never-expire rule.

Credits begin accruing as soon as the system is live. Existing users will see their first credits appear based on recent activity and any active subscriptions.

How can you spend Compute Credits?

Compute Credits can be redeemed in two main places:

The Anthropic store

Inside your account you will find a store section where credits can be exchanged for additional usage capacity, temporary priority queues, extended context features, official Anthropic merchandise, and other digital or physical items we offer.

Official Anthropic Discord channels

In our community Discord servers, credits can be spent on Anthropic-related products, exclusive community perks, early-access experiments, and other benefits that we make available through the Discord integration.

Spending is straightforward: select the item or benefit you want, confirm the credit cost, and the credits are deducted from your balance. Unused credits simply remain in your account for future use.

What does this mean for existing users and subscriptions?

If you already have an active subscription or have been using Claude regularly, you benefit immediately in two ways. First, your existing usage allowance now lasts approximately 10 percent longer because of the reduced consumption rate. Second, you start earning Compute Credits on both past recent activity (where applicable) and all future usage.

Subscription customers receive an extra credit grant at the next billing cycle or immediately upon renewal, depending on plan timing. Free-tier users also earn credits through product use, though at a lower rate than paid plans. Nothing about your current plan’s core benefits changes—these updates are additive.

Why is Anthropic making these changes?

We are working to rate and support more users while keeping Claude accessible. As demand has grown, we have looked for ways to stretch existing capacity further without degrading quality or introducing sudden price increases. The 10 percent reduction in consumption rate is one concrete step: it gives every user more value from the same resources.

Compute Credits add a second layer of accessibility and fairness. By rewarding actual usage and subscription support with a lasting, spendable currency, we create a system that benefits both light and heavy users. Credits that never expire remove the pressure to “use them or lose them,” and the ability to spend them in the store or on Discord gives people flexible ways to get more out of their relationship with Anthropic products.

These updates are part of a longer-term effort to make advanced AI available to a wider audience while maintaining the safety, reliability, and helpfulness that define Claude.

Other questions

Does the 10% reduction apply to the API as well as the web interface?

Yes. The slower token and usage-point consumption rate applies across claude.ai, the API, Claude Code, and all other supported products.

Will Compute Credits affect the price of my subscription?

No. Subscription prices remain the same. Credits are an additional benefit granted on top of existing plan features.

Can I see my Compute Credit balance and earning history?

Yes. Your dashboard will show current balance, recent earnings, and a history of how credits were earned or spent.

Do Compute Credits work with older Claude models?

Yes. Credits can be earned and spent regardless of which Claude model you are using. The 10 percent consumption reduction also applies to older models that remain available.

What happens if I cancel my subscription?

Any Compute Credits you have already earned remain in your account and never expire. You simply stop receiving the additional subscription credit grants.

Can companies or teams pool Compute Credits?

At launch, credits are tied to individual accounts or the primary billing account for Team/Enterprise plans. We are evaluating options for more flexible team-level management and will share updates when available.

Is there a limit to how many Compute Credits I can hold?

There is currently no practical upper limit. Credits simply accumulate until you decide to spend them.

Will the earning rates or redemption options change over time?

We may adjust earning rates or expand the catalog of items available in the store and Discord as the system matures. Any material changes will be announced in advance, and existing credits will always retain their value.

How does this interact with usage limits or rate limits?

The 10 percent reduction directly improves how far your usage goes before limits are reached. Compute Credits can later be spent to purchase additional capacity if you need it, giving you another lever beyond the base plan.

When exactly do these changes take effect?

The 10 percent reduction in consumption rate is live as of today. Compute Credits begin accruing immediately, and the store and Discord redemption options will appear in your account over the coming days as we complete the final rollout.

We will continue to refine these systems based on user feedback and will publish further details (including visual diagrams of the credit flow) as they become available.

Thank you for building with Claude and for being part of the growing community of people and organizations using AI to do useful, creative, and important work. These updates are designed to make that work more accessible and sustainable for everyone.