I usually play around with Xianyu, also nicknamed “Xiao Huang Yu”, in my spare time. At first, I only used it to sell used items and recover some cash. Later, I found that I could also sell software, materials, coupons, and similar products. Since I have a technical background, I started looking at each step from an engineering perspective: reducing costs, improving efficiency, and increasing sales. Looking back, it can now bring in around 1k per month. Once the income becomes meaningful, the whole thing starts to form a positive feedback loop.
Here I am sharing many practical experiences that are hard to find online, for friends who want to try Xianyu as a side hustle.
Note: this article is continuously updated. Xianyu is also commonly called Xiao Huang Yu in China.
The Value of Xianyu
Many people around me underestimate Xianyu. From a buyer’s perspective, they think it is low-end. From a seller’s perspective, they also think it is low-end. But that is naive. Look at the numbers.
According to QuestMobile, Xianyu’s monthly active users (MAU) exceeded 200 million in March 2025, reaching 209 million, with year-over-year growth close to 20%. It entered the top ten “APP user scale growth list (100M+ MAU)” and ranked first in MAU growth among e-commerce apps.
Xianyu: The “Dark Web” of Everyday Purchases
If you do not know where to buy something in China, try searching on Xianyu. For example: Turkey Apple Card gift cards, ScreenStudio discount codes, Claude/GPT membership accounts, discount coupons, food delivery coupons, and so on. In short, many things can be found on Xianyu, including some things that are no longer easy to find on Taobao.
Use Xianyu well, and you can make money. Use Xianyu well, and you can also save money. For example, when I go to arcades, I sometimes buy game tokens on Xianyu, which is cheaper than Meituan and similar platforms.
My Purchase Records
As the screenshots show, many unexpected things can be bought here. Even if you are not buying or selling used goods, some things are still suitable to buy on Xianyu. This is only for reference, but it may help open your thinking.
I remember spending several thousand RMB on Xianyu last year, mainly on gift cards and game tokens.
