General Information

Population

1.416B

Online Population

1.11B

Currency

CNY

Market overview

Population - 1.416B

In 2025, China is the second most populous country in the world.

Internet penetration - 78%

There were 1.11 billion internet users in China in January 2025.

FinTech Outlook: Trends, Insight & Technology

In 2025, China's fintech ecosystem remains a global powerhouse, blending cutting-edge innovation with evolving regulation. The sector is valued at over ¥6.2 trillion ($850B), driven by AI-powered financial services, digital yuan expansion, and super app dominance. While major players like Ant Group and Tencent continue to lead, a wave of regtech startups and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms is reshaping the terrain.

Regulatory clarity:

Since 2023 China’s fintech oversight ****has been divided by sector across specialized agencies

• The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) oversees digital currency and payment systems, including the rollout and regulation of the digital yuan (e‑CNY), mobile payment platforms (like Alipay and WeChat Pay), and related financial infrastructure.
• The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) handles securities-related fintech, such as robo-advisors, online brokerage platforms, crowdfunding, and tokenized investment products—essentially anything involving capital markets.
• The National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA)—which absorbed functions from the now-defunct CBIRC—regulates banking, insurance, and integrated financial services, including micro-lending platforms and fintech firms offering consumer credit, wealth management, or insurance.

Since May 2024, China adopted a streamlined **“two‑category system”for payment licensing: stored‑value account operations** (accepting prepaid funds), and payment transaction processing (executing transactions without holding funds).

In January 2025, the NFRA’s Interim Measures tighten regulation of micro-lending companies (MLCs) with rigorous new capital, leverage, and geographic rules.Fintech lenders that once operated with minimal capital and high leverage are now required to meet stricter, bank-like standards to reduce financial system risks. It also protects consumers from excessive debt, predatory lending, and abusive collection practices.