China's capital markets are undergoing a profound digital transformation in 2026, with the latest data from Analysys Qianfan showing that securities apps reached approximately 187 million monthly active users in July 2026, representing a 0.69% month-on-month increase and a substantial 12.11% year-on-year surge. This marks the fifth consecutive month of positive growth, setting a new annual high. From 184 million in January, dipping to 170 million in February due to the Spring Festival, rebounding to 177 million in March, climbing to 180 million in April, and breaking through 186 million in June, the monthly active user data for securities apps has been trending steadily upward, reflecting investors' deepening reliance on digital investment tools.
In this fierce competition for nearly 200 million users, Hithink Royalflush Information Network Co.,Ltd. (commonly known as 同花顺), East Money Information Co.,Ltd. (东方财富), and SINA Corp's finance app have secured the top three positions in user scale. This competitive landscape is not only the inevitable result of each product's strategic positioning but also a vivid reflection of the current competitive dynamics and evolution trends in the stock trading app market.
Hithink Royalflush: The Traffic King of Tool-Based Products
Hithink Royalflush continues to lead the entire industry with an absolute advantage in user scale. July data shows the platform reached 38.68 million monthly active users, far surpassing other third-party securities service apps. Throughout the year, its monthly active users have consistently remained in the high range of 35 million to 39 million: 38.75 million in January, 35.74 million in February, 37.49 million in April, and 38.53 million in June. The core competitiveness of Hithink Royalflush lies in its powerful tool attributes. Its "Wen Cai" natural language stock selection feature embeds AI technology deeply into the investment decision-making process, lowering the barrier to information access for ordinary investors. In an environment of active market trading and heightened volatility, investor demand for real-time market monitoring, individual stock anomaly tracking, and position adjustments continues to surge. With its comprehensive market data and trading tools, Hithink Royalflush has become the preferred traffic gateway for users.
East Money: User Moat Built on Community Ecosystem
East Money holds a solid second place with 19.47 million monthly active users. Unlike Hithink Royalflush's "tool-driven" approach, East Money's core competitive advantage lies in its unique community ecosystem. "Guba," the largest investor communication community in China, demonstrates powerful user retention capabilities during volatile market conditions. When market fluctuations intensify, investors not only need to monitor quotes and execute trades but also need to exchange views and gather information—this is precisely where East Money's irreplaceable value resides. Additionally, East Money has established a comprehensive business loop integrating "traffic-data-AI-trading." Its "Miao Xiang" large language model further consolidates user stickiness within the ecosystem, seamlessly combining news reading, community discussions, data analysis, and trade execution on a single platform. This ecosystem-based product design enables users to complete the entire chain from information acquisition to investment decisions within the East Money app, significantly reducing the likelihood of user churn.
SINA Finance App: Differentiated Breakthrough Through News DNA
Unlike the previous two, SINA Corp's finance app derives its competitive strength from over two decades of professional financial news expertise. It offers the most extensive market coverage in financial reporting, providing 7x24 hour high-quality news services that reach 220 million Chinese stock investors, with monthly page views exceeding 9 billion. In 2026, as AI technology becomes deeply embedded in financial investment scenarios, SINA's finance app has leveraged its officially registered AI agents to achieve a high score of 9.56 in comprehensive evaluations. Its dual competitive advantages of "news depth plus AI-driven decision support" are attracting an increasing number of investors who prioritize information quality and decision-making efficiency. While Hithink Royalflush excels in technological convenience and East Money wins through community stickiness, SINA's finance app has built a differentiated competitive barrier based on the depth and breadth of professional financial reporting.
Brokerage Proprietary Apps: A Formidable Contender Worth Watching
It is worth noting that while third-party securities service apps form a three-way stalemate, the camp of brokerage proprietary apps is also rapidly expanding. July data reveals that Guotai Haitong Junhong follows closely with 11.32 million monthly active users. Ping An Securities, China Merchants Securities, and CITIC Securities Xinyi Tou all exceed 7 million monthly active users. Brokerage proprietary apps are actively breaking the homogenized competitive landscape through innovations including AI feature iterations, upgraded ETF zones, and 7x24 hour bank-securities transfers. Leading brokerages are leveraging functions such as portfolio diagnostics, intelligent conditional orders, and AI-powered robo-advisory services to enhance the practical value and user engagement of their apps in high-volatility environments.
Growth Drivers: The Triple Resonance of Market, Technology, and Services
The sustained rise in monthly active users for securities apps in 2026 is driven by three converging forces. First, there is the market-level trading volume support. Since the beginning of 2026, A-share market trading has remained highly active, with average daily turnover on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges maintaining elevated levels. In February, newly opened A-share accounts reached 2.523 million, averaging approximately 180,000 daily—significantly higher than monthly averages in 2025. The willingness of both retail investors and leveraged capital to enter the market remains strong, providing a solid foundation for app activity. Second, there is the technology-level AI empowerment. 2026 marks the year AI technology becomes deeply integrated into securities services. From Hithink Royalflush's "Wen Cai" to East Money's "Miao Xiang" large model and SINA's AI agents, AI is becoming the core tool for bridging the information and technology gap between retail investors and institutions. During peak earnings reporting periods, investor demand for AI-driven functions such as intelligent financial statement interpretation and quantitative comparison of key indicators surges, extending active user periods from intraday trading hours to non-trading sessions. Third, there is the service-level deep operations. Brokerages are racing to expand platform functionality through intelligent tools, helping investors manage portfolio risk and make investment decisions. This upgrade in positioning from "trading channels" to "investment partners" is reshaping the relationship between users and apps—shifting from low-frequency tool usage to high-frequency companionship and assistance.
Final Thoughts
The stock trading app market in 2026 has evolved into a vast ecosystem with nearly 187 million monthly active users and continuously rising penetration rates. The top-three ranking of Hithink Royalflush, East Money, and SINA's finance app is not only a testament to each product's capabilities but also a reflection of diversified user needs—some seek the most powerful trading tools, others rely on the most vibrant community atmosphere, and still others pursue the most professional news depth. Beyond the top three, the pursuit of brokerage proprietary apps and the continued penetration of AI technology are making this market increasingly competitive and dynamic. For nearly 200 million Chinese stock investors, choosing an app is, to some extent, also choosing an investment approach and an information acquisition pathway.
Risk Disclosure and Disclaimer
Market risk exists, and investment requires caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account individual users' specific investment objectives, financial situations, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, viewpoints, or conclusions in this article align with their particular circumstances. Any investment decisions made based on this content are solely at the investor's own risk.
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