OpenClaw 3.23 Release: DeepSeek, Qwen Pay-As-You-Go, and What Changed | OpenClaw DC

OpenClaw 3.23 is out. This release adds a first-party DeepSeek provider plugin, switches Qwen to pay-as-you-go billing, introduces OpenRouter auto pricing with a corrected Anthropic thinking order, fixes Chrome MCP tab waiting, and patches multiple issues in the Discord, Slack, Matrix, and Web UI interfaces. If you have been waiting for native DeepSeek support or simpler Qwen billing, this is the version to grab.

How to Upgrade

One command:

npm install -g openclaw@latest

Verify: openclaw --version should show 2026.3.23.

If you run into issues, check our troubleshooting guide. Coming from 3.13 or earlier? Read the 3.13 release notes first for breaking changes you may have missed.

DeepSeek Provider Plugin

OpenClaw 3.23 ships a built-in DeepSeek provider plugin. Previous versions required a community plugin or manual API configuration. Now DeepSeek is a first-class provider alongside OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

To configure it, add your DeepSeek API key:

openclaw config set deepseek.apiKey YOUR_KEY

Then select a DeepSeek model:

openclaw config set defaultModel deepseek-v3

You can also use deepseek-coder or any other model listed in the DeepSeek API docs. The plugin handles authentication, rate limiting, and streaming out of the box. If you want to compare costs across providers, our API costs comparison has updated numbers.

DeepSeek models tend to run well on lower-end hardware when self-hosted. If you are exploring local options, our best local models guide covers compatible setups.

Qwen Pay-As-You-Go Billing

Before 3.23, connecting a Qwen account required an OAuth flow through Alibaba Cloud. That flow broke frequently, especially for users outside China. Version 3.23 replaces it entirely with pay-as-you-go billing.

Generate a Qwen API key from the Alibaba Cloud console and add it:

openclaw config set qwen.apiKey YOUR_KEY

No OAuth redirect. No browser popup. You are billed per token, and usage shows up in the OpenClaw dashboard under the Qwen tab. This is the same billing model that OpenAI and Anthropic use, so there are no surprises.

OpenRouter Auto Pricing and Anthropic Thinking Order

OpenRouter support gets two improvements in this release. First, auto pricing: OpenClaw now pulls live pricing data from the OpenRouter API instead of relying on a bundled price list. This means new models show correct costs immediately without waiting for an OpenClaw update.

Second, the Anthropic thinking order bug is fixed. In previous versions, when routing Anthropic models through OpenRouter, the thinking/reasoning tokens sometimes appeared after the final answer instead of before it. Version 3.23 corrects the token ordering so that chain-of-thought output renders in the right sequence.

No configuration change is needed. If you already use OpenRouter, both improvements apply automatically after upgrading.

Chrome MCP Tab Waiting Fix

The Chrome MCP integration had a timing issue: commands sent immediately after opening a new tab could fail because the tab was not ready. OpenClaw 3.23 adds a tab readiness check. The MCP server now waits for the tab to finish loading before sending commands.

If you previously worked around this with sleep commands in your automation scripts, you can remove them. The fix applies to both headless and headed Chrome sessions.

openclaw browser --attach --devtools-port=9222

The attach workflow remains the same. Only the internal timing changed.

Discord, Slack, Matrix, and Web UI Fixes

This release includes several stability patches across all chat platform integrations:

• Discord: Fixed message truncation on replies longer than 2000 characters. OpenClaw now splits long responses into multiple messages automatically.
• Slack: Resolved a threading bug where bot replies appeared in the main channel instead of the thread when the original message was edited.
• Matrix: Fixed room join failures on Synapse servers running version 1.100 or later. The handshake now completes correctly.
• Web UI: Addressed a rendering issue where code blocks lost syntax highlighting after a page navigation. Also fixed the session timeout that logged users out after 15 minutes of inactivity; the default is now 60 minutes.

These fixes apply to the self-hosted versions of each integration. If you run OpenClaw through a managed deployment, the patches will roll out with your next container pull.

Should You Upgrade?

If you use DeepSeek: Yes. The built-in plugin removes the need for community workarounds and handles rate limiting properly.

If you use Qwen: Yes. The old OAuth flow is deprecated and will stop working in a future release.

If you use OpenRouter: Yes. Auto pricing and the Anthropic thinking order fix are meaningful quality-of-life improvements.

If you rely on Discord, Slack, Matrix, or the Web UI: Yes. The stability patches address real bugs that affect daily use.

If you are on a stable 3.13 setup and do not use any of the above: You can wait, but do not skip this version entirely. The Chrome MCP fix alone is worth it if you use browser automation.

Questions or Issues?

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