Kuaishou Technology’s AI video generation unit has released Kling 4.0, doubling its maximum video output to 30-second clips and adding enhanced creative controls as the company positions the spinoff for a standalone Hong Kong listing. According to Bloomberg and Briefs Finance, the new model was unveiled on 28 September 2026, with a full release planned for October whilst a lite version is already available to annual subscribers.
Key takeaways
- Kling 4.0 doubles maximum video generation to 30 seconds, up from 15 seconds in Kling 3.0
- The model supports more than a dozen reference input types and allows up to 10 keyframes for granular control
- Kuaishou raised $2.8 billion in July 2026 at an $18 billion valuation, with backing from Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent
- Kling hit $500 million in annualised revenue by March 2026 and exceeded RMB 850 million in Q2 2026, up 200% year-over-year
- The spinoff filed plans in May 2026 for a Hong Kong IPO, competing directly with ByteDance’s Seedance
What Kling 4.0 delivers
The latest iteration of Kling doubles the previous 15-second limit to 30-second clips, according to reports from Crypto Briefing and tokenpost.com. The model can accept guidance from more than a dozen reference formats, including text, images, and existing video, whilst users can now define up to 10 keyframes to shape how different segments of a clip should unfold.
Briefs Finance reports that the model remains in testing with a select group, with annual subscribers gaining access to a lite version now and the full rollout scheduled for October. The expanded generation window and multi-modal input capabilities position Kling 4.0 as a direct competitor to offerings in the AI models database, including ByteDance’s Seedance 2.5 and Google’s Veo 3.1.
Record fundraising and valuation
Kuaishou secured approximately 20.45 billion yuan—roughly $2.8 to $3 billion—in a July 2026 financing round that valued Kling at around $18 billion, as reported by Crypto Briefing. The round drew participation from Tencent, Alibaba, and Baidu, according to Briefs Finance.
According to tokenpost.com, initial investors agreed to invest RMB 13.8236 billion ($2.0282 billion) in Beijing Kling on 2 July 2026, with fifteen additional investors committing RMB 5.2235 billion ($766.39 million). The financing documents valued Beijing Kling at $15 billion before the transaction. Kuaishou’s ownership could decline from 100 per cent to approximately 68.33 per cent after the financing and employee equity schemes are implemented.
The valuation is particularly striking given that Kuaishou’s own market capitalisation sits near $17 billion after shedding more than 60 per cent of its value over the past year, according to Briefs Finance.
Revenue trajectory and market position
Kling’s commercial momentum has accelerated sharply. Crypto Briefing reports that the unit hit approximately $500 million in annualised recurring revenue by March 2026. According to tokenpost.com, Kling AI generated more than RMB 650 million in revenue during the first quarter of 2026, representing an increase of more than 300 per cent year-over-year.
In the second quarter of 2026, Kling AI revenue exceeded RMB 850 million, up more than 200 per cent year-over-year, according to both Crypto Briefing and tokenpost.com. Despite this growth, Kling still accounts for less than 3 per cent of Kuaishou’s total revenue, as noted by Crypto Briefing.
| Metric | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kling revenue | >RMB 650M | >RMB 850M | +200% YoY |
| Annualised run rate (March 2026) | ~$500M | — | +300% YoY |
Hong Kong listing plans and independence
Kuaishou’s board announced on 12 May 2026 that it was assessing a proposal to restructure Kling AI assets and businesses, according to tokenpost.com. The company stated the proposal was “still at a preliminary stage” and that “there is no assurance that such proposal will proceed.” Crypto Briefing reports that Kuaishou filed plans in May 2026 to spin off Kling as a standalone entity, with a Hong Kong IPO as the end goal.
The planned structure includes a possible future initial public offering in Hong Kong, though tokenpost.com notes that it does not establish that a listing application has been submitted. Investor redemption rights may apply if Beijing Kling fails to complete an IPO by applicable deadlines, including 30 October 2031, subject to the agreement’s conditions.
Briefs Finance reports that Kling’s Beijing-based team operates out of its own offices and runs independently from Kuaishou, with Kuaishou maintaining a majority stake even as its own market value hovers around $17 billion.
ByteDance competition and market context
Crypto Briefing identifies ByteDance’s Seedance as Kling’s primary rival in the AI video generation space. The publication notes that Kling has maintained leadership in several industry benchmarks and, crucially, in commercialisation. The Kling 4.0 release arrives as competition intensifies in the generative video market, with established players including ByteDance’s Seedance 2.5, Google’s Veo 3.1, and Alibaba’s Wan 2.5.
Briefs Finance reports that Kuaishou’s core advertising and livestreaming business is weakening, with the company posting its steepest earnings decline in five years in the most recent quarter. The timing of the Kling 4.0 launch and the planned IPO reflects both the unit’s rapid growth and pressure on the parent company’s traditional revenue streams.
Technical capabilities comparison
According to tokenpost.com, the previous Kling 3.0 model supports multimodal inputs and outputs and can generate videos of up to 15 seconds. The jump to 30 seconds in Kling 4.0 represents a significant technical milestone, bringing the platform closer to parity with competing systems in terms of output duration.
The addition of support for more than a dozen reference input types and the ability to specify up to 10 keyframes gives creators granular control over video generation workflows. For developers evaluating video generation APIs, the AI API cost calculator provides comparative pricing across platforms, though Kling 4.0 pricing has not yet been disclosed in available reports.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kling 4.0? Kling 4.0 is the latest AI video generation model from Kuaishou’s spinoff unit, capable of producing 30-second video clips with support for more than a dozen input types and up to 10 keyframes for detailed control.
How much funding has Kling raised? Kling raised approximately $2.8 to $3 billion in a July 2026 financing round at an $18 billion valuation, with participation from Tencent, Alibaba, and Baidu.
When will Kling 4.0 be fully available? A lite version is available now to annual subscribers, with the full release planned for October 2026 according to Briefs Finance.
What is Kling’s relationship with Kuaishou? Kling operates as an independent Beijing-based unit preparing for a standalone Hong Kong IPO. Kuaishou currently owns the majority stake, though ownership could decline to approximately 68.33 per cent after financing and employee equity schemes.
How does Kling 4.0 compare to competitors? Kling 4.0’s 30-second generation capability positions it competitively against ByteDance’s Seedance, Google’s Veo 3.1, and other AI video platforms, with the model supporting multimodal inputs and keyframe-based control.
The bottom line
Kling 4.0’s release marks a significant technical advancement for Kuaishou’s AI video spinoff, doubling generation capacity to 30 seconds whilst adding enhanced creative controls. The timing—shortly after a $2.8 billion fundraise and ahead of a planned Hong Kong listing—underscores both the unit’s commercial momentum and its strategic importance to a parent company facing pressure in its core business. With $500 million in annualised revenue by March 2026 and triple-digit year-over-year growth, Kling has demonstrated that generative video can scale commercially, even as it accounts for a small fraction of Kuaishou’s overall revenue. The October rollout and subsequent IPO preparations will test whether the unit can maintain its trajectory in an increasingly competitive market dominated by ByteDance, Google, and other well-capitalised players.
Sources: cryptobriefing.com, news.futunn.com, www.briefs.co, www.tokenpost.com. Reported 29 September 2026.