diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 2ebf6e4..6cf33b5 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ GOOGLE_API_KEY=              # aistudio.google.com/api-keys
 NVIDIA_API_KEY=              # build.nvidia.com
 
 # Direct providers (optional)
-MINIMAX_API_KEY=              # platform.minimaxi.com (Anthropic-compatible)
+MINIMAX_API_KEY=              # platform.minimaxi.com (China, default) or platform.minimax.io (Global)
+MINIMAX_BASE_URL=             # https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic (default) or https://api.minimax.io/anthropic
 ZHIPU_API_KEY=                # open.bigmodel.cn (智谱)
 VOLCENGINE_API_KEY=           # volcengine.com (火山引擎)
 DASHSCOPE_API_KEY=            # dashscope.aliyuncs.com (阿里云)
diff --git a/EvoScientist/config/onboard.py b/EvoScientist/config/onboard.py
index 49a15dc..d2ae56c 100644
--- a/EvoScientist/config/onboard.py
+++ b/EvoScientist/config/onboard.py
@@ -278,10 +278,19 @@ def validate_google_key(api_key: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
         return False, f"Error: {e}"
 
 
-def validate_minimax_key(api_key: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
-    """Validate a MiniMax API key by making a test request.
+def validate_minimax_key(
+    api_key: str,
+    base_url: str = "https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic",
+) -> tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Validate a MiniMax API key without consuming tokens.
 
-    Uses the Anthropic-compatible endpoint at api.minimaxi.com.
+    Sends a messages.create() with an empty model string.  MiniMax checks
+    auth *before* validating request params, so a valid key returns 400
+    (bad model) while an invalid key returns 401.
+
+    Args:
+        api_key: The MiniMax API key to validate.
+        base_url: Anthropic-compatible endpoint (global or mainland China).
 
     Returns:
         Tuple of (is_valid, message).
@@ -294,16 +303,22 @@ def validate_minimax_key(api_key: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
 
         client = anthropic.Anthropic(
             api_key=api_key,
-            base_url="https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic",
+            base_url=base_url,
         )
-        client.models.list()
+        client.messages.create(
+            model="",
+            max_tokens=1,
+            messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}],
+        )
+        # Unexpected success — treat as valid
+        return True, "Valid"
+    except anthropic.AuthenticationError:
+        return False, "Invalid API key"
+    except anthropic.APIStatusError:
+        # Any non-auth HTTP error (400 bad model, 500 insufficient balance,
+        # etc.) means the key itself was accepted → treat as valid.
         return True, "Valid"
     except Exception as e:
-        error_str = str(e).lower()
-        if any(
-            k in error_str for k in ("401", "unauthorized", "invalid", "authentication")
-        ):
-            return False, "Invalid API key"
         return False, f"Error: {e}"
 
 
@@ -758,6 +773,51 @@ def _step_provider(config: EvoScientistConfig) -> str:
     return provider
 
 
+_MINIMAX_REGIONS: dict[str, str] = {
+    "global": "https://api.minimax.io/anthropic",
+    "cn": "https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic",
+}
+
+
+def _step_minimax_region(config: EvoScientistConfig) -> str:
+    """Step 2a (MiniMax): Select API region.
+
+    MiniMax has two regional endpoints — Global (api.minimax.io) and
+    Mainland China (api.minimaxi.com).  API keys are region-bound.
+
+    Returns:
+        The selected base URL.
+    """
+    current = config.minimax_base_url or os.environ.get("MINIMAX_BASE_URL", "")
+    if current == _MINIMAX_REGIONS["global"]:
+        default = "global"
+    else:
+        default = "cn"
+
+    region = questionary.select(
+        "Select MiniMax API region (must match where your key was created):",
+        choices=[
+            Choice(
+                title="Global (api.minimax.io — platform.minimax.io keys)",
+                value="global",
+            ),
+            Choice(
+                title="Mainland China (api.minimaxi.com — platform.minimaxi.com keys)",
+                value="cn",
+            ),
+        ],
+        default=default,
+        style=WIZARD_STYLE,
+        qmark=QMARK,
+        use_indicator=True,
+    ).ask()
+
+    if region is None:
+        raise KeyboardInterrupt()
+
+    return _MINIMAX_REGIONS[region]
+
+
 def _provider_key_info(config: EvoScientistConfig, provider: str):
     """Return (display_name, current_value, validate_fn) for a provider."""
     mapping = {
@@ -769,7 +829,13 @@ def _provider_key_info(config: EvoScientistConfig, provider: str):
         "minimax": (
             "MiniMax",
             config.minimax_api_key or os.environ.get("MINIMAX_API_KEY", ""),
-            validate_minimax_key,
+            lambda key: validate_minimax_key(
+                key,
+                base_url=config.minimax_base_url
+                or os.environ.get(
+                    "MINIMAX_BASE_URL", "https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic"
+                ),
+            ),
         ),
         "nvidia": (
             "NVIDIA",
@@ -2819,7 +2885,7 @@ def run_onboard(skip_validation: bool = False) -> bool:
         provider = _step_provider(config)
         config.provider = provider
 
-        # Step 2a: Base URL (custom-openai, custom-anthropic, or ollama provider)
+        # Step 2a: Base URL (custom-openai, custom-anthropic, minimax, or ollama)
         ollama_detected_models: list[str] = []
         if provider == "custom-openai":
             current_base_url = config.custom_openai_base_url or os.environ.get(
@@ -2833,6 +2899,8 @@ def run_onboard(skip_validation: bool = False) -> bool:
             )
             base_url = _step_base_url(config, current_value=current_base_url)
             config.custom_anthropic_base_url = base_url
+        elif provider == "minimax":
+            config.minimax_base_url = _step_minimax_region(config)
         elif provider == "ollama":
             ollama_url, ollama_detected_models = _step_ollama_base_url(config)
             config.ollama_base_url = ollama_url
diff --git a/EvoScientist/config/settings.py b/EvoScientist/config/settings.py
index 12653e7..46402e3 100644
--- a/EvoScientist/config/settings.py
+++ b/EvoScientist/config/settings.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ class EvoScientistConfig:
     nvidia_api_key: str = ""
     google_api_key: str = ""
     minimax_api_key: str = ""
+    minimax_base_url: str = ""
     siliconflow_api_key: str = ""
     openrouter_api_key: str = ""
     deepseek_api_key: str = ""
@@ -365,6 +366,7 @@ _ENV_MAPPINGS = {
     "nvidia_api_key": "NVIDIA_API_KEY",
     "google_api_key": "GOOGLE_API_KEY",
     "minimax_api_key": "MINIMAX_API_KEY",
+    "minimax_base_url": "MINIMAX_BASE_URL",
     "siliconflow_api_key": "SILICONFLOW_API_KEY",
     "openrouter_api_key": "OPENROUTER_API_KEY",
     "deepseek_api_key": "DEEPSEEK_API_KEY",
@@ -455,6 +457,8 @@ def apply_config_to_env(config: EvoScientistConfig) -> None:
         os.environ["GOOGLE_API_KEY"] = config.google_api_key
     if config.minimax_api_key and not os.environ.get("MINIMAX_API_KEY"):
         os.environ["MINIMAX_API_KEY"] = config.minimax_api_key
+    if config.minimax_base_url and not os.environ.get("MINIMAX_BASE_URL"):
+        os.environ["MINIMAX_BASE_URL"] = config.minimax_base_url
     if config.siliconflow_api_key and not os.environ.get("SILICONFLOW_API_KEY"):
         os.environ["SILICONFLOW_API_KEY"] = config.siliconflow_api_key
     if config.openrouter_api_key and not os.environ.get("OPENROUTER_API_KEY"):
diff --git a/EvoScientist/llm/models.py b/EvoScientist/llm/models.py
index 0c68324..a7690f4 100644
--- a/EvoScientist/llm/models.py
+++ b/EvoScientist/llm/models.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ _MODEL_ENTRIES: list[tuple[str, str, str]] = [
     ("gemini-2.5-flash", "gemini-2.5-flash", "google-genai"),
     ("gemini-2.5-flash-lite", "gemini-2.5-flash-lite", "google-genai"),
     ("gemini-2.5-pro", "gemini-2.5-pro", "google-genai"),
-    # MiniMax (direct API — Anthropic-compatible at api.minimaxi.com)
+    # MiniMax (direct API — Anthropic-compatible; default: api.minimaxi.com, global: api.minimax.io)
     ("minimax-m2.7", "MiniMax-M2.7", "minimax"),
     ("minimax-m2.7-highspeed", "MiniMax-M2.7-highspeed", "minimax"),
     ("minimax-m2.5", "MiniMax-M2.5", "minimax"),
@@ -392,6 +392,8 @@ def get_chat_model(
                     "Anthropic-compatible API endpoint URL (e.g. https://api.anthropic.com)."
                 )
             base_url = base_url.rstrip("/")
+        elif provider == "minimax":
+            base_url = os.environ.get("MINIMAX_BASE_URL", base_url_default).rstrip("/")
         else:
             base_url = base_url_default
         if base_url:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 816195a..03392ac 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -264,7 +264,8 @@ Set at least one LLM provider key and (optionally) a search key:
 export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-..."   # Claude  — console.anthropic.com
 export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-..."      # GPT    — platform.openai.com
 export GOOGLE_API_KEY="AI..."       # Gemini  — aistudio.google.com/api-keys
-export MINIMAX_API_KEY="sk-..."     # MiniMax — platform.minimaxi.com (Anthropic-compatible)
+export MINIMAX_API_KEY="sk-..."     # MiniMax — platform.minimaxi.com (China, default) or platform.minimax.io (Global)
+export MINIMAX_BASE_URL="https://api.minimax.io/anthropic"  # only needed for Global keys (default: https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic)
 export NVIDIA_API_KEY="nvapi-..."   # NIM    — build.nvidia.com
 
 # Web search (optional)
diff --git a/README.zh-CN.md b/README.zh-CN.md
index e60583a..966706f 100644
--- a/README.zh-CN.md
+++ b/README.zh-CN.md
@@ -273,7 +273,8 @@ EvoSci onboard
 export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-..."   # Claude  — console.anthropic.com
 export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-..."      # GPT    — platform.openai.com
 export GOOGLE_API_KEY="AI..."       # Gemini  — aistudio.google.com/api-keys
-export MINIMAX_API_KEY="sk-..."     # MiniMax — platform.minimaxi.com (Anthropic-compatible)
+export MINIMAX_API_KEY="sk-..."     # MiniMax — platform.minimaxi.com（默认，中国大陆）或 platform.minimax.io（国际版）
+export MINIMAX_BASE_URL="https://api.minimax.io/anthropic"  # 仅国际版需要设置（默认: https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic）
 export NVIDIA_API_KEY="nvapi-..."   # NIM    — build.nvidia.com
 
 # 网络搜索（可选）
diff --git a/tests/test_llm.py b/tests/test_llm.py
index 94972c0..2d92d6a 100644
--- a/tests/test_llm.py
+++ b/tests/test_llm.py
@@ -527,6 +527,18 @@ class TestThirdPartyRouting:
         assert call_kwargs["base_url"] == "https://api.minimaxi.com/anthropic"
         assert call_kwargs["api_key"] == "mm-key-123"
 
+    @patch("EvoScientist.llm.models.init_chat_model")
+    def test_minimax_base_url_env_override(self, mock_init, monkeypatch):
+        """MINIMAX_BASE_URL env var should override the default base URL."""
+        mock_init.return_value = "mock_model"
+        monkeypatch.setenv("MINIMAX_API_KEY", "mm-key-123")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("MINIMAX_BASE_URL", "https://api.minimax.io/anthropic")
+
+        get_chat_model("MiniMax-M2.5", provider="minimax")
+
+        call_kwargs = mock_init.call_args[1]
+        assert call_kwargs["base_url"] == "https://api.minimax.io/anthropic"
+
     @patch("EvoScientist.llm.models.init_chat_model")
     def test_minimax_gets_thinking(self, mock_init, monkeypatch):
         """MiniMax provider should get auto-thinking (thinking-capable via Anthropic)."""
diff --git a/tests/test_minimax_integration.py b/tests/test_minimax_integration.py
index 41371e0..a41bfbd 100644
--- a/tests/test_minimax_integration.py
+++ b/tests/test_minimax_integration.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 """Integration tests for MiniMax direct provider.
 
 These tests validate that the MiniMax provider can connect to the real
-MiniMax API (api.minimaxi.com/anthropic) and produce chat completions.
+MiniMax API (api.minimaxi.com/anthropic by default) and produce chat completions.
 
 Requires MINIMAX_API_KEY environment variable to be set.
+Optionally set MINIMAX_BASE_URL to https://api.minimax.io/anthropic for Global keys.
 """
 
 import os