[Purpose/Significance] This study aims to systematically examine the emergence background, operational mechanisms, and socio-academic impacts of article processing charges（APC）, clarify its rationales and limitations, and provide insights for promoting the sustainable development of open access and establishing a fairer, more transparent scholarly communication ecosystem. [Method/Process] Through literature review and a historical-present-future analytical framework, this research reconstructed the emergence logic of APC, evaluated its practical effectiveness and dilemmas, and explored future development trajectories to address the fundamental question of “Where APC comes from and where it is heading”. [Result/Conclusion] As an economic instrument in academic publishing, APC has demonstrated significant practical value in advancing open access. However, existing issues such as pricing opacity and potential exacerbation of publishing inequalities are expected to be gradually mitigated through market-social collaborative governance, multi-stakeholder cooperation, and diversified open access models. APC will continue to evolve towards rationalization while maintaining its role in scholarly publishing systems.
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