As digital transformation deepens, an increasing number of rural commercial banks are strengthening their digital capabilities. Recently, several have announced significant initiatives involving core business systems and technology leadership.
Multiple provincial-level rural commercial banks have initiated projects for their core business systems, with some already completed. Since late last year, several have been active in this area, ranging from project launches to the finalization of tender results.
Reports indicate that in late February 2026, the Sichuan Rural Commercial United Bank successfully launched its data middle platform project after over 300 days of development. This project upgraded the technological foundation for data collection, storage, computation, management, and application. It also deployed portals for model development, data management, and intelligent data access, along with supporting tools for asset cataloging, classification, and standardization.
On November 15, 2025, the Sichuan Rural Commercial United Bank fully operationalized its new-generation distributed core business system. Subsequently, on December 24, it officially decommissioned its legacy mainframe system that had been in operation for over a decade, fully transitioning to the new distributed core era. Post-launch data shows the system successfully handled peak transaction volumes during the 2026 New Year and Spring Festival periods. The system has achieved a peak daily transaction volume exceeding 70 million, with a 100% success rate. The average response time for online transactions is under 90 milliseconds. The cloud-native architecture has reduced per-transaction costs by over 50% and lowered basic software and hardware maintenance costs by more than 50%. Furthermore, the middle-platform architecture has improved business response efficiency, shortening new product development cycles from months to weeks.
On January 19, the Guangxi Rural Commercial United Bank held a meeting to mark the launch of its new-generation intelligent core system cluster, which primarily utilizes domestic technology. This cluster includes 34 new systems—such as the core business system, credit management system, big data platform, and mobile banking—and 52 adapted supporting systems, including the People's Bank of China's second-generation payment systems. It covers key areas like customer management, deposits, loans, accounting, risk management, channel integration, and regulatory reporting, providing technological support for the province's rural financial institutions for the next 5 to 10 years.
On December 9, 2025, the Jiangxi Rural Commercial United Bank issued a tender for its new-generation core system cluster implementation project, with a budget of 40 million yuan. This followed two earlier consultancy projects for the initiative, which also cost tens of millions of yuan. The tender result, announced on January 8, 2026, was awarded to Shenzhen Sunline Technology Co., Ltd. for 33.9 million yuan. The project scope includes core functionality development, capability center construction, a unified development platform for backend services, and other technical requirements.
The Hainan Rural Commercial Bank launched its new-generation core system construction project, with Digital China securing the 21.88 million yuan contract in February. On January 6, the Inner Mongolia Rural Commercial Bank initiated a tender for its new-generation core system cluster, with a budget of 25 million yuan.
Concurrently, several rural commercial banks are publicly recruiting for senior technology management positions, with some roles being advertised multiple times.
Multiple banks have openly recruited for mid-to-senior level technology roles, and some united banks plan to establish wealth management subsidiaries. In March, the Beijing Rural Commercial Bank recruited for a General Manager of its Financial Technology Department. In April, it advertised for several department management positions, including Deputy General Manager of Financial Technology—a role it had also sought in July of the previous year.
Also in March, the Yellow River Rural Commercial Bank recruited for mid-level positions such as Deputy General Manager or Assistant General Manager of the Digital Finance Department.
In May 2025, the Guangxi Rural Commercial United Bank recruited for a Deputy General Manager of its Information Technology Department. In November 2025, the Jiangsu Rural Commercial United Bank recruited for department heads in technology and product development. In December 2025, the Inner Mongolia Rural Commercial Bank sought a Deputy General Manager for its Information Technology Department. In July 2025, the Liaoning Rural Commercial Bank recruited eight mid-level managers, including a Deputy General Manager for Information Technology.
Notably, alongside adjustments to head office technology management, changes in the leadership of technology subsidiaries are also drawing attention. Within the rural commercial and credit cooperative system, several institutions, including the Shaanxi Provincial Credit Union, Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank, Zhejiang Rural Commercial United Bank, Guangxi Rural Commercial United Bank, Wuxi Rural Commercial Bank, and Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank, have established fintech subsidiaries. Among them, Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank's subsidiary, Chongqing Yuyin Fintech Co., Ltd., saw a leadership change in late April—its first in over two years—with new executives coming from the parent bank's information technology and digital finance departments.
While technology development and leadership appointments advance rapidly, on the business side, intensified banking competition has brought light-capital models, including wealth management, into focus. Since late last year, banks like Bank of Communications, SPD Bank, and Bank of Hangzhou have established new wealth management departments or restructured related divisions, with some making adjustments less than two years after previous reorganizations.
These moves underscore the growing emphasis on wealth management. For regional banks like rural commercial banks, faced with regulatory requirements to phase out wealth management business by end-2026 and stricter approval processes for wealth management subsidiaries, forming consortiums to apply for licenses may become a new strategy.
The establishment of wealth management subsidiaries is gaining traction. Reports indicate that the Jiangsu Rural Commercial United Bank and Zhejiang Rural Commercial United Bank are applying for wealth management subsidiary licenses under their restructured united bank entities. Within Sichuan Province, Chengdu Bank, Chengdu Rural Commercial Bank, and Sichuan Bank also plan to jointly apply to establish a bank-affiliated wealth management company. Regulatory support in Zhejiang for such initiatives was noted as early as November 2022.
Several regional banks have long planned to set up wealth management subsidiaries. The Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank stated during its 2025 performance briefing that it is actively preparing for a subsidiary. In May 2022, Lanzhou Bank mentioned exploring the establishment of a wealth management subsidiary as part of its future plans. In December 2021, Guiyang Bank's board approved the setup of Guiyin Wealth Management. In October 2021, Bank of Xi'an announced plans to establish Xiyin Wealth Management.
Public information shows over 20 small and medium-sized banks, including Guangdong Shunde Rural Commercial Bank, Bank of Chongqing, Bank of Changsha, Weihai City Commercial Bank, Chaoyang Bank, Bank of Gansu, and Bank of Beijing, have expressed intent to apply for wealth management company licenses.
Beyond Zhejiang, several regions support regional banks in establishing wealth management subsidiaries. In January 2022, Henan Province's implementation plan for building a high-standard market system mentioned promoting local financial institutions to establish bank wealth management subsidiaries. Hubei Province's financial sector development plan for the 14th Five-Year Period also supported local banks in setting up such subsidiaries. In March, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region's three-year action plan for high-quality development of local financial institutions mentioned enriching license types and striving to establish entities like bank wealth management subsidiaries.
The progress of regional banks, including rural commercial banks, in establishing wealth management subsidiaries warrants continued attention.
Comments