Following widespread rumors of exorbitant ticket prices for the upcoming 2026 Xiao Zhan “Export · Us” Tour in Nanjing, ticketing platform Damai has issued a strong response. The company asserts that the “sky-high ticket” claims are a malicious fabrication by scalpers operating without any ticket inventory, and that Damai has submitted relevant information to the authorities.
Swift Sell-Out Amidst High Demand
The Nanjing leg of the tour, exclusively presold on the Damai app, reportedly sold out within minutes of going on sale. Initial reports indicated that over 5 million users attempted to secure tickets, causing a significant surge in platform traffic. Damai stated that the platform operated smoothly during this period.
Prior to the sale, the number of users who marked “interested” for the Nanjing shows surpassed 5 million, setting a record for mainland China concerts in 2026. With a total of 22,020 tickets available across two performances, the odds of securing a ticket were less than 0.5%.
Addressing Scalper Tactics and Strict Verification
The controversy intensified with alleged screenshots showing VIP tickets, originally priced at 1960 yuan, being resold for as much as 250,000 yuan. In response, Xiao Zhan’s studio issued a purchase reminder on October 14th, explicitly stating that there were no “internal tickets,” “employee tickets,” or “partner reserved tickets.” They also warned that tickets held by scalpers might be bound to someone else’s real name and could render the buyer unable to enter the venue, with no recourse for the inflated payment.
To combat scalping at the source, Damai has implemented a strict “real-name verification” policy throughout the entire process. Tickets are directly linked to the attendee’s identity information. Once purchased, tickets cannot be transferred or altered. Each account is limited to a maximum of two tickets. Upon entry, attendees will undergo rigorous checks, comparing their original ID, electronic ticket, and facial recognition data. All three must match for entry, and there are no other official methods of admission besides Damai’s verification process.
Transparency and Security Measures
Further emphasizing transparency, reports indicate that Xiao Zhan’s studio voluntarily relinquished the industry-standard 15% of internal ticket allocations typically reserved for organizers. This decision ensured that all available tickets were included in the public sale pool.
Damai has also activated high-level security protocols to identify and block malicious ticket-buying activities. This includes the use of fake devices, unauthorized plugins, external software, and network proxies. The platform is committed to cracking down on illicit operations by scalpers and bot farms. Orders found to be in violation of these policies will be canceled, and legal action may be pursued.
