Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Listed banks
in China: 2019
review and outlook
51 listed banks
•► Huishang Bank (HSB)
•► Shengjing Bank (SJB)
•► Harbin Bank (HRB)
with total assets and net profit accounting for 82% and
•► Bank of Hangzhou (BHZ)
88% of all commercial banks in China, respectively.
•► Bank of Guiyang (BGY)
9
•► Bank of ChangshaB
( OCS)
•► Jiangxi BankJ
( XB)
national joint-stock commercial
•► Bank of JiujiangJ
( JCCB)
banks •► Bank of Xi’anB
( OXA)
• C
► hina Merchants Bank (CMB)
•► Luzhou City Commercial BankL
( ZCCB)
•► I► ndustrial Bank (IB)
•► Jinshang Bank (JSB)
• S
► hanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB)
•► Bank of Suzhou (BSZ)
• C
► hina Minsheng Bank (CMBC)
•► Bank of Guizhou (BGZ)
• C
► hina CITIC Bank (CITIC)
•
•
C
► inda Everbright Bank (CEB)
P
► ing An Bank (PAB) 10 rural commercial banks
• H
► uaxia Bank (HX) •► Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank (CQRCB)
• C
► hina Zheshang Bank (CZB) •► Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank (GRCB)
•► Zijin Rural Commercial Bank (ZJRCB)
The data contained in this report, unless otherwise
•► Changshu Rural Commercial Bank (CSRCB)
noted, are sourced from the annual reports published
by the listed banks. Apart from the data for SJB, HSB, •► Wuxi Rural Commercial Bank (WXRCB)
HRB, BTJ, BOJZ, BCQ, JTRCB, CRCB, ZYB, BOGS, JXB, •► Jiangyin Rural Commercial Bank (JYRCB)
JSB, BGZ, JJCCB and LZCCB which are collected from •► Rural Commercial Bank of Zhangjiagang (ZJGRCB)
their respective financial statements prepared under •► Suzhou Rural Commercial Bank (SZRCB)
the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), •► Jilin Jiutai Rural Commercial Bank (JTRCB)
data of other banks are collected from their financial •► Qingdao Rural Commercial Bank (QRCB)
statements prepared under the Chinese Accounting
Standards for Business Enterprises. For comparison, we
have made necessary adjustments to the classification
of certain data in order to make them more comparable.
For the listed banks that restated their 2017 and 2018
financial statements, the restated figures are used in
the report. Unless otherwise noted, the averages of all
indicators of the listed banks are weighted averages.
2
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
Contents
Executive Summary 02
07 Sustainable development of
green finance and accelerated growth
of inclusive finance 46
10 Outlook 60
Appendix 64
Listed
Listedbanks
banksininChina:
China:2019
2019review
review and
and outlook
outlook / 1
The year 2019 was a crucial year for the Chinese banking
Executive industry. In the first decade of the 21st century, the industry
experienced rapid development in line with China’s rapid
1
remained on a downward trend. Large commercial
banks and rural commercial banks saw an upswing after
Volatility.. a decline in total assets growth. Particularly, the total
assets growth rate of rural commercial banks increased
In the past three years, China’s listed banks collectively
by 12.43%, 6.70% and 10.92%, respectively, in the past
realized a net profit of RMB1,748.36 billion in 2019,
three years, presenting a typical V-shaped movement.
up 7.32% from 2018. Net profit growth stemmed the
2
downward trend seen in 2018 and gained momentum
through 2019, which was mainly attributable to the
accelerated growth in operating income and slower Uncertainty.
growth in loan loss provision. Between 2017 and
2019, large commercial banks and national joint-stock Listed banks in China have faced more uncertainties in an
commercial banks saw rising net profit growth while increasingly complex operating environment domestically
city commercial banks and rural commercial banks both and globally, coupled with tightening regulation.
experienced a V-shaped movement. Particularly, the net The volatile operating performance of listed banks
profit of city commercial banks posted bumpy growth was largely caused by heightened macroeconomic
over the three-year period at 12.80%, -3.12% and uncertainties. In 2019, downside risks to the global
11.41%, respectively. economy were more prominent, and uncertainties from
Following a subdued growth in 2017, listed banks saw rising geopolitical tensions and prolonged China-US
a rapid growth in operating income in 2018 and 2019. trade frictions clouded the prospects for global economic
Particularly, the operating income growth of rural growth. Despite stable economic operation in 2019, with
commercial banks exhibited an inverted V-shaped curve, GDP growing by 6.1% year-on-year (y-o-y), China faced
at 3.27%, 19.50% and 9.65%, respectively, which was downward pressure on economic growth as structural and
mainly due to sharper volatility in investment income cyclical factors constrained the prospects. In addition,
growth. In addition, the fee and commission income the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 has inevitably had
of listed banks grew slightly by 0.28% in 2017 and adverse impact on economic operation, with GDP growth
declined by 1.45% in 2018, due to the implementation in the first quarter of 2020 declining to -6.8%. Globally,
of new regulations on asset management and lowering the accelerated spread of the pandemic has caused
fee charges to support the real economy, among other greater financial volatility and dampened economic and
factors. In 2019, the fee and commission income growth trade growth severely. Meanwhile, larger-than-expected
rebounded to 9.66% as listed banks grew their bank stimulus policies introduced across economies to address
card business rapidly, accelerated the transformation of the impact might change the international economic and
wealth management business and increased the volume trade landscape to a certain extent, posing considerable
of net asset value (NAV) wealth management products uncertainties to global growth and exposing China’s
(WMPs) that are aligned with the new regulations. listed banks to new challenges in business operation and
development.
Between 2017 and 2019, the overall loan loss provisions
of listed banks increased by 7.27%, 28.79% and 11.12%, Regulatory and financial reforms had implications for
respectively, presenting an inverted V-shape. In the listed banks in the following aspects. The formation
same period, the loan loss provisions of city commercial mechanism of the loan prime rate (LPR) officially rolled
banks increased by 0.92%, 75.62% and 12.70%, out in 2019 amid deepening interest rate liberalization
respectively, while rural commercial banks recorded posed pricing challenges for listed banks; the
more volatile growth of -21.89%, 103.04% and 9.18%, implementation of new regulations on asset management
respectively. and the implementation rules have driven listed banks
to transform their wealth management business. The
Volatility is also reflected in asset and liability growth. year 2020 marks the end of the transition period for
The total assets of listed banks grew by 7.01%, 6.53% implementing new regulations on asset management, but
and 8.91%, respectively, between 2017 and 2019. listed banks still face challenges in the disposal of legacy
The total assets growth of national joint-stock banks non-standard assets, the promotion of new products,
continued to rise while that of city commercial banks NAV management, and the strategic positioning of their
2
wealth management subsidiaries as they proceed with steadily. As at the end of 2019, the core Tier-1 capital
business transformation under the new regulations and adequacy ratios (CARs), Tier-1 CARs and CARs rose by
implementation rules. In addition, in an effort to urge 0.19 percentage point, 0.41 percentage point, and
the banking industry to improve asset quality, regulators 0.36 percentage point, respectively, from the
proposed Interim Measures for the Risk Classification beginning of the year. Going forward, listed banks
for Financial Assets of Commercial Banks (already open should continuously seek innovative capital
for public consultation), which, along with other policies, replenishment instruments and enhance capital
are expected to have impacts on different types of banks strength by replenishing capital via multiple channels.
once effective. They also need to improve capital efficiency, investing
in long-term growth while improving returns on capital.
In 2019, listed banks also addressed the potential impact
on their financial results as they started to implement Increasing FinTech investment. In 2019,
the new financial instrument standard and applied the listed banks increased their FinTech
new standard on the classification of financial assets, investment from multiple dimensions, further
which resulted in an increased proportion of financial strengthening the role of FinTech in driving growth and
assets measured at fair value and the replacement of transformation and embracing accelerated innovation.
the “incurred loss” model with “expected credit loss” The COVID-19 outbreak is expected to accelerate the
model in the calculation of impairment provisions. process of economic digitalization across the board,
3
highlighting the urgency and importance of digital
transformation in listed banks. Thus, they need to
continuously invest in FinTech, integrate digitalization
Resilience. and technology with business to create new engines
that can drive high-quality development, and deploy
Enhancing operational resilience is key for listed banks
innovative approaches to optimize customer-oriented
to respond to the uncertainties in the external
businesses, products, services, processes, management
environment and achieve long-term sustainable
and risk control based on new technologies such as
development. Resilience can be built by:
big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain, in
Improving risk management. In 2019, listed an effort to improve customer experience and achieve
banks enhanced their credit risk prevention a win-win result in strengthening both customer and
and control, and increased write-off and bank values.
disposal of non-performing assets. As a result, the
Fulfilling social responsibilities. In 2019,
average non-performing loan (NPL) ratio decreased to
China’s listed banks actively responded to
1.46% as at 31 December 2019, down from 1.52% at
national strategies and continuously promoted
the beginning of 2019. However, divergent trends were
the development of green finance and inclusive
noted in different types of listed banks. The NPL ratio of
financial services. Particularly, large commercial banks
large commercial banks and national joint-stock banks
increased their green credit and inclusive finance loans
decreased while that of city commercial banks and rural
by 13.3% and 45.0%, respectively. For listed banks,
commercial banks increased. In 2020, listed banks
financial performance and environment, social and
need to further strengthen credit risk management to
governance (ESG) performance are equally important.
address the potential rise in the NPL ratio in the wake of
On the one hand, to enjoy policy dividends, listed banks
the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, listed banks should
must align their strategies and efforts with the national
closely monitor market and liquidity risks amid current
initiative to vigorously promote the construction of
financial market volatility and remain alert to new risks.
ecological civilization and develop inclusive finance.
Optimizing business structure. In 2019, On the other hand, only when they actively perform
China’s listed banks stepped up their support social responsibilities, demonstrate customer-centered
for the real economy. The proportion of loans commitment, attach importance to the protection of
in total assets further increased while the proportion consumer rights and interests, and maintain a good
of non-standard investments continued to decrease. reputation and image, can they gain trust and enhance
In addition, listed banks diversified the sources of customer loyalty.
core liabilities, increasing the proportion of deposits
The year 2020 is the closing year of building a
in liabilities, and continuously reducing interbank
moderately prosperous society in all respects as well
liabilities. Listed banks also further developed retail
as the National 13th Five-Year Plan, but also the
banking to achieve increased proportion of both income
success of preventing and defusing financial risks
and balance sheets. Looking ahead, listed banks need
as a regulatory initiative. However, the outbreak of
to further optimize the business structure to expand
COVID-19 has inevitably impacted China’s economic
revenue sources and enhance risk resilience.
operation to a large extent. Looking ahead, listed
Replenishing capital and improving capital banks need to strengthen operational resilience, set
efficiency. In 2019, listed banks enhanced out long-term plans, and seek new opportunities amid
their capacity to generate capital internally uncertainties to navigate the bumpy ride through
while attracting supplementary capital from external economic cycles and achieve long-term sustainable
providers, seeing the capital base being strengthened development.
4
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
The growth in net profit posted divergence among different types of listed
banks. Large commercial banks realized a total net profit of RMB1,136.50
Net profit
billion, growing by 5.63%, up 0.92 percentage point from the growth rate of
7.32%
4.71% in 2018. Particularly, PSBC reported the highest net profit growth of
16.52%, up 6.72 percentage points from 2018, which was attributable mainly
to the growth in net interest income and net fair value gains. The net profit
growth of the other five large commercial banks ranged from 4.90% to 5.32%.
In 2019, China’s National joint-stock commercial banks realized a total net profit of RMB424.44
listed banks realized billion, growing by 10.14%, up 3.94 percentage points from the growth rate
in 2018. Most notably, CMB reported a 15.60% net profit growth and led the
a total net profit of
growth among peers in the same group for three consecutive years, benefiting
RMB1,748.36 billion, mainly from stable credit impairment losses and higher growth in net interest
an increase of 7.32%, up income, net fee income and other net income. CMBC, CZB and PAB each
reported faster growth, up 10.29 percentage points, 8.34 percentage points
2.97 percentage points
and 6.59 percentage points, respectively.
from the growth rate
City commercial banks realized a total net profit of RMB158.05 billion in
of 4.35% in 2018. The 2019. Net profit growth stood at 12.80%, -3.12% and 11.41% for 2017, 2018
net profit of listed banks and 2019, respectively, mainly due to the more volatile net profit growth of
posted higher growth BJZ, which stood at 10.87% (RMB9.09 billion), -149.92% (RMB-4.54 billion)
and 76.60% (RMB-1.06 billion), respectively, between 2017 and 2019.
as net interest margin Excluding BJZ from calculation, city commercial banks’ three-year net profit
(NIM) remained stable, growth was 12.93%, 6.60% and 8.68%, respectively, while the growth rate
net fee and commission in 2019 was up by 2.08 percentage points from 2018. Four city commercial
banks recorded decline in net profit while 22 city commercial banks saw
income showed a
continued increase, with BONB, BHZ, ZYB, BJZ and BOGZ each reporting a
rebound in growth, net profit growth of more than 20%.
and the impairment Rural commercial banks realized a total net profit of RMB29.38 billion, an
allowance exhibited a increase of 13.21%, up 6.79 percentage points from 2018. Eight of 10 listed
slower growth. rural commercial banks reported a growth rate of more than 10%. JYRCB
recorded the fastest growth of 29.74%, which was attributable mainly to the
5.58% growth in net interest income, the decline in credit impairment losses
resulted from the lower non-performing loan (NPL) ratio, and the 300% rise in
profit or loss from changes in fair value.
16%
14%
13.21%
12% 12.80% 11.41%
10% 10.14%
8.74%
8%
6.42% 7.32%
6% 6.20%
5.54% 4.71% x 5.63%
5.27% x
4% 4.11% x
4.35%
2%
2017 2018 2019
0%
-2% -3.12%
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
6
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
Trend of the ROA of the listed banks Trend of ROE of the listed banks
13.16% 13.21% x
0.8% 13.0% 12.95%
0.77% 13.07%
x 12.51%
0.76% 12.48%
12.12%
0.7% 12.0%
2017 2018 2019 11.80%
11.69%
x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
11.30%
City commercial banks Rural commercial banks
11.0%
All listed banks
2017 2018 2019
Source: Annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
percentage
highest growth rate of 28.48%, mainly due to the growth
in net interest income and investment income.
points
Looking at the growth trend from 2017 to 2019, the
operating income growth rate of listed banks of all types
rebounded significantly in 2018 from the low level in
In 2019, the operating income of listed banks totaled 2017. The operating income growth of large commercial
RMB5,265.24 billion, growing by 10.42%, up 1.29 banks, national joint-stock commercial banks and city
percentage points as compare with the growth rate of commercial banks either remained stable or grew higher
9.13% in 2018. in 2019, while that of rural commercial banks declined
significantly, mainly due to sharper volatility in the
The operating income of large commercial banks
growth rate of investment income.
grew by 7.89% y-o-y while the growth rate was largely
flat compared to that of 2018. Net interest income
showed a slower growth while the growth in net fee and Trend of the operating income of the listed banks
commission income and other business income picked 20% 19.50%
up. ICBC reported the highest growth rate of 10.52%, 17.59%
which was attributable mainly to the increase in net 14.83%
15%
interest income, net fee income and net non-interest 14.07%
income in varying degrees. 9.63% 10.42%
10% 9.65%
The operating income of national joint-stock commercial 9.13%
x x 7.89%
banks grew by 14.07% y-o-y, up 4.44 percentage points 7.89%
from 2018, which was mainly driven by the growth in 5% 5.11% x
3.92%
net interest income and net fee income. Particularly, 3.43%
3.27%
CEB reported the highest operating income growth of 0%
20.47%, which was mainly attributable to optimized -0.64%
8
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
10
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
9.66
net fee and commission income growth remarkably
reached 352.38% and 150.00%, respectively, due to
relatively low base of net fee and commission income
PAB each recording a notable growth of above 10%, Source: Annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
thanks to the growth in bank card fee income. CITIC
reported the highest net fee and commission income
growth of 25.34%, attributable mainly to the 41.95% Source: Annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
*Net fee and commission income of listed banks is presented in RMB million, on
bank card fee income growth. which the calculation of growth rates is based.
**Since 2019, CITIC has made reclassification of its credit card installment in-
come, classifying it from fee income to interest income and restating the figures
for both 2017 and 2018 in the financial statements. The amount of net fee and
commission income for 2018 has been presented based on the restated figure
for the year; and the amount of fee and commission income for 2017 remains
unchanged as the restated figure for the year is unavailable.
**Since 2019, CEB has made reclassification of its credit card installment in-
come, classifying it from fee income to interest income and restating the figures
for 2018 in the financial statements. The amount of net fee and commission
income for 2018 has been presented based on the restated figure for the year.
12
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
Net fee and commission amount and growth rate of the listed banks* (RMB Million)
2017 2018 2019
Amount Growth rate Amount Growth rate Amount Growth rate
ICBC 139,625 -3.69% 145,301 4.07% 155,600 7.09%
CCB 117,798 -0.60% 123,035 4.45% 137,284 11.58%
ABC 72,903 -19.83% 78,141 7.18% 86,926 11.24%
BOC 88,691 0.03% 87,208 -1.67% 89,612 2.76%
BOCOM 40,551 10.21% 41,237 1.69% 43,625 5.79%
PSBC 12,737 10.78% 14,434 13.32% 17,085 18.37%
Large commercial banks 472,305 -3.88% 489,356 3.61% 530,132 8.33%
CMB 64,018 5.18% 66,480 3.85% 71,493 7.54%
IB 38,739 5.98% 42,978 10.94% 49,679 15.59%
SPDB 45,580 12.01% 39,009 -14.42% 40,447 3.69%
CMBC 47,742 -8.65% 48,131 0.81% 52,295 8.65%
CITIC** 46,858 10.83% 37,008 -21.02% 46,384 25.34%
CEB** 30,774 9.47% 19,773 -35.75% 23,169 17.17%
PAB 30,674 10.10% 31,297 2.03% 36,743 17.40%
HX 18,407 25.59% 17,758 -3.53% 18,016 1.45%
CZB 8,013 7.20% 4,252 -46.94% 4,579 7.69%
National joint-stock 330,805 6.45% 306,686 -7.29% 342,805 11.78%
commercial banks
BOB 10,579 10.21% 8,879 -16.07% 7,386 -16.81%
BSH 6,256 1.61% 5,980 -4.41% 6,567 9.82%
BJS 5,779 -0.74% 5,222 -9.64% 6,023 15.34%
BONB 5,896 6.35% 5,794 -1.73% 7,784 34.35%
BONJ 3,489 -19.46% 3,588 2.84% 4,044 12.71%
HSB 2,844 14.17% 3,706 30.31% 4,164 12.36%
BHZ 1,617 -21.62% 1,183 -26.84% 1,665 40.74%
BGY 1,414 -0.42% 1,219 -13.79% 968 -20.59%
BOCD 393 -15.48% 308 -21.63% 427 38.64%
SJB 1,613 -15.73% 627 -61.13% 1,155 84.21%
BOCS 1,091 28.96% 1,580 44.82% 1,773 12.22%
BTJ 2,033 45.01% 1,538 -24.35% 2,266 47.33%
BCQ 1,680 -12.77% 1,342 -20.12% 1,258 -6.26%
HRB 2,445 2.17% 2,391 -2.21% 2,226 -6.90%
BGZ -10 -105.26% 21 -310.00% 95 352.38%
BOZZ 1,865 53.50% 1,874 0.48% 1,610 -14.09%
ZYB 770 71.49% 1,280 66.23% 1,866 45.78%
BOXA 760 6.00% 783 3.03% 582 -25.67%
BSZ 883 -14.11% 915 3.62% 1,073 17.27%
BQD 829 -6.64% 866 4.46% 1,217 40.53%
JXB 1,491 54.99% 653 -56.20% 667 2.14%
JJCCB 350 114.72% 279 -20.29% 416 49.10%
JSB 332 -17.62% 424 27.71% 625 47.41%
LZCCB -2 -481.82% 2 -200.00% 5 150.00%
BOGS 377 47.27% 166 -55.97% 253 52.41%
BJZ 737 -8.90% 758 2.85% 244 -67.81%
City commercial banks 55,511 3.85% 51,378 -7.45% 56,359 9.69%
CQRCB 2,296 8.40% 2,066 -10.02% 2,322 12.39%
CRCB 2,291 -23.02% 1,548 -32.43% 1,682 8.66%
QRCB 163 -9.44% 149 -8.59% 199 33.56%
CSRCB 424 42.28% 367 -13.44% 324 -11.72%
ZJRCB 177 -27.16% 256 44.63% 264 3.13%
WRCB 163 -9.44% 86 -47.24% 112 30.23%
JTRCB 615 -17.78% 376 -38.86% 317 -15.69%
JYRCB 52 4.00% 65 25.00% 99 52.31%
ZJGRCB 114 -8.80% 33 -71.05% 7 -78.79%
SZRCB 69 9.52% 72 4.35% 128 77.78%
Rural commercial 6,364 -8.84% 5,018 -21.15% 5,454 8.69%
All listed banks 864,985 0.28% 852,438 -1.45% 934,750 9.66%
1.27
points from 2018, as it continuously refined its financial
management and improved input-output efficiency.
percentage
In 2019, the average cost-to-income ratio of city
commercial banks was 27.71%, down 1.23 percentage
points
points from 2018. Five city commercial banks recorded
a slight increase in cost-to-income ratio from 2018, with
BGS seeing the largest increase by 6.81 percentage
In 2019, the average cost-to-income ratio of listed banks points. Other city commercial banks reported a y-o-y
continued its downward trend, standing at 29.34%, decline in cost-to-income ratio, with BSZ seeing the
down 1.27 percentage points from 2018. largest decline by 6.05 percentage points.
In 2019, the cost-to-income ratio of large commercial In 2019, the average cost-to-income ratio of rural
banks was 32.50%, a decline of 0.43 percentage point commercial banks was 33.21%, down 1.40 percentage
from the average cost-to-ratio in 2018. PSBC and CCB points from 2018. CSRCB, WXRCB and SZRCB saw
each saw an increase in cost-to-income ratio, while the an increase in cost-to-income ratio while other rural
other four banks reported a decrease. PSBC’s 56.57% commercial banks reported a decline. JTRCB had the
cost-to-income ratio was considerably higher than that highest cost-to-income ratio of 51.08%.
of the peers as the bank not only bore its own operating
cost, but also paid commissions to other entities under Changes in the cost-to-income ratio of the listed
China Post Group (CPG) that acted as its deposit-taking banks
agent. PSBC’s cost-to-income ratio increased by 0.16 40%
percentage point from 2018, mainly due to increased
commissions paid to other CPG entities for growing 36.69%
deposits under the agency agreement, as well as the 35% 34.61%
increase in staff costs for increased recruitment of IT 34.36% x 32.93% 33.21%
and other high-caliber talent. x x 32.50%
31.76% 30.61%
In 2019, the average cost-to-income ratio of national 30%
30.06%
29.43% 29.34%
joint-stock commercial banks was 27.65%, down 1.78 29.85%
27.71%
28.94%
percentage points from 2018. CMB saw a slight increase 27.65%
CZB and CMBC saw the cost-to-income ratio decline by 2017 2018 2019
more than 3 percentage points. CZB’s cost-to-income x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
ratio stood at 26.24%, a decline of 3.45 percentage
City commercial banks Rural commercial banks
points from 2018, which was driven by its effort to
All listed banks
continuously optimize the asset and liability structure
by reducing less-efficient and inefficient assets, and Source: Annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
14
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
Cost-to-income ratios of the listed banks Slower growth in loan impairment allowance
2017 2018 2019
ICBC 24.46% 23.91% 23.28%
CCB
ABC
26.95%
32.96%
26.42%
31.27%
26.53%
30.49% 17.67%
BOC 28.34% 28.09% 28.00%
BOCOM 31.85% 31.50% 30.11% In 2019, the loan impairment allowance of listed banks
PSBC 61.57% 56.41% 56.57% calculated based on the data presented in the income
Large commercial banks* 34.36% 32.93% 32.50% statements totaled RMB1,241.52 billion, increasing by
CMB 30.23% 31.02% 32.09% 11.12%, down 17.67 percentage points from 2018. In
IB 27.63% 26.89% 26.03% 2018, loan impairment losses increased significantly as
SPDB 24.34% 24.90% 22.58% listed banks downgraded loans overdue by more than
CMBC 31.72% 30.07% 26.74% 90 days to NPLs and correspondingly increased loan
CITIC 29.92% 30.57% 27.70%
impairment allowance. Rural commercial banks and
city commercial banks recorded higher ratios of loans
CEB 31.92% 28.79% 27.27%
overdue by at least 90 days and NPLs, thus increasing
PAB 29.89% 30.32% 29.61%
loan impairment allowance by 103.04% and 75.62%,
HX 32.96% 32.58% 30.59%
respectively. Another major reason for the faster growth
CZB 31.91% 29.69% 26.24%
in loan impairment allowance for city commercial
National joint-stock 30.06% 29.43% 27.65%
banks was that BJZ made a substantial provision of
commercial banks*
RMB17.5 billion in 2018. In 2019, benefiting mainly
BOB 26.85% 25.19% 23.23%
from the decline in new NPLs as compared to 2018, city
BSH 24.47% 20.52% 19.98%
commercial banks’ loan impairment allowance posted
BJS 28.80% 28.68% 25.64%
slower growth. The growth rate of loan impairment
BONB 34.63% 34.44% 34.32%
allowance for large commercial banks, city commercial
BONJ 29.20% 28.61% 27.39%
banks and rural commercial banks decreased y-o-y by
HSB 25.90% 23.02% 22.76%
25.54 percentage points, 62.92 percentage points
BHZ 31.74% 29.91% 28.71% and 93.86 percentage points, respectively. The loan
BGY 28.10% 26.73% 26.30% impairment allowance of national joint-stock commercial
BOCD 28.27% 25.77% 26.52% banks grew faster by 8.72 percentage points, as they
SJB 26.22% 24.13% 21.31% stepped up efforts in disposal and write-off of NPLs in
BOCS 33.67% 34.12% 30.72% 2019, and increased provisions for expected credit loss
BTJ 29.42% 27.18% 22.20% out of lower provision coverage ratio in an attempt to
BCQ 22.00% 22.93% 22.27% enhance risk resilience and address future uncertainties.
HRB 29.71% 30.88% 32.71%
Changes in the loan impairment losses of the listed
BGZ 33.05% 33.91% 30.84%
banks
BOZZ 26.15% 27.96% 26.46%
ZYB 44.00% 40.59% 38.45% 105%
103.04%
BOXA 30.09% 27.97% 25.68%
BSZ 38.04% 37.73% 31.68% 90%
BQD 31.60% 32.97% 31.88%
75.62%
JXB 32.18% 30.48% 26.08% 75%
JJCCB 32.50% 27.86% 28.12%
JSB 37.19% 35.75% 34.79%
60%
LZCCB 31.89% 34.54% 35.95%
BOGS 24.81% 24.72% 31.53%
45%
BJZ 15.71% 15.91% 14.88%
City commercial banks* 29.85% 28.94% 27.71%
CQRCB 33.94% 30.33% 28.54% 30% x 29.33%
21.89% x 23.37%
CRCB 37.11% 28.05% 27.25% 28.79%
QRCB 35.69% 32.23% 30.25% 15% 12.70%
11.12%
CSRCB 37.14% 36.53% 38.24% 7.27% 14.65% 9.18%
0.92% x 3.79%
ZJRCB 35.01% 33.42% 29.69% 0%
WRCB 30.03% 29.18% 29.66% -7.37%
JTRCB 50.77% 54.72% 51.08% -15%
JYRCB 38.29% 32.03% 31.66% -21.89%
All listed banks* 31.76% 30.61% 29.34% City commercial banks Rural commercial banks
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by All listed banks
the listed banks.
*Simple arithmetic average Source: Annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
18
02 / Accelerated growth in total assets and on-going asset structure optimization
to decline as listed 2%
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
20
02 / Accelerated growth in total assets and on-going asset structure optimization
Rise in the proportion of credit assets in Changes in the asset structure of the listed banks
total assets 31 December 31 December 31 December
2017 2018 2019
1.44 Lo
人日 an
49.23% 51.50% 52.94%
percentage
assets
points Financial
Investment
29.69% 29.68% 29.36%
50% 77%
75%
40% 64% 71%
0%
2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019
Large commercial banks National joint-stock City commercial banks Rural commercial banks All listed banks
commercial banks
Bond Others
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
45%
40%
35% 15%
23%
30%
21% 26% 25% 21%
25% 42% 22%
24% 24% 24%
20% 27% 25%
29% 27%
23% 21%
15% 19%
18% 16%
10%
14%
11% 11% 13% 13%
5% 8% 7%
6%
4% 4%
0%
2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019
Large commercial banks National joint-stock City commercial banks Rural commercial banks All listed banks
commercial banks
FVTPL FVTOCI
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
*Financial assets measured at fair value and changes of which are recorded into profit or loss of current period include: financial assets held for trading under the original
standard and financial assets measured at fair value and changes of which are recorded into the profit or loss of current period, or financial assets held for trading under
the new financial instrument standard and financial assets measured at fair value and changes of which are recorded into the profit or loss of current period.
**Financial investments measured at fair value and changes of which are recorded into other comprehensive income include: available-for-sale financial assets under the
original standard, or other debt investments and other equity instrument investments under the new financial instrument standard, or financial assets measured at fair
value and changes of which are recorded into other comprehensive income of current period.
22
02 / Accelerated growth in total assets and on-going asset structure optimization
8.36% Deposits
73.05% 74.15% 74.46%
24
02 / Accelerated growth in total assets and on-going asset structure optimization
Seen from the breakdown of deposits, the proportion In 2019, interest rates continued to decrease, dragging
of time deposits of listed banks increased while that of down the cost of bond issuance significantly. As the
demand deposits decreased as at 31 December 2019. industry stepped up efforts in reducing interbank
The proportion of time deposits of large commercial liabilities amid tightened regulation, commercial
banks, national joint-stock commercial banks, city banks prioritized the issuance of bonds to replenish
commercial banks and rural commercial banks capital more efficiently. As at 31 December 2019, the
rose 0.13, 2.04, 2.81 and 3.28 percentage points, balance of bonds issued by listed banks amounted to
respectively. The rise in the proportion of time deposits RMB13,501.93 billion, increasing by RMB1,941.44
pushed up the overall deposit cost, putting pressure on billion, or 16.79%, from the prior year-end. Bonds
interest margin. issued by large commercial banks and national joint-
stock commercial banks grew significantly by 35.05%
Breakdown of deposits of the listed banks in 2019
and 17.32%, respectively.
(demand deposits/time deposits)
100.00% 3.20% 4.80% 6.84% 4.37% 3.90% As at 31 December 2019, the interbank liabilities of
46.95% 52.27% 52.15% 58.35% 48.76% listed banks accounted for 12.05% of total liabilities,
80.00% down 0.45 percentage point from 2018 year-end.
Interbank transactions saw a contraction as BSB’s
60.00%
credit risk event has caused listed banks to put more
40.00%
attention to interbank credit risk. As at 31 December
2019, the proportion of interbank liabilities of large
20.00% 49.85% 42.93% 41.01% 37.28% 47.34% commercial banks, national joint-stock commercial
banks, city commercial banks and rural commercial
0.00%
Large
banks fell by 0.17, 1.28, 0.28 and 1.54 percentage
National City Rural All listed
commercial joint-stock commercial commercial banks points, respectively. LZCCB reported the largest fall
banks commercial banks banks of 6.73% in the proportion of interbank liabilities; and
banks
BOCOM reported the largest decrease of RMB201.01
Demand deposits Time deposits Others
billion in the balance of interbank liabilities.
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks.
60.00%
20.00%
0.00%
Large National City Rural All listed
commercial joint-stock commercial commercial banks
banks commercial banks banks
banks
Demand deposits Time deposits Others
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks.
Listed banks in China: 2019 review and outlook / 25
03 Retail business
transformation built on
customer-oriented
differentiators
26
03 / Retail business transformation built on customer-oriented differentiators
In 2019, the operating income from the retail business accounted for
39.19% of total operating income, up 0.73 percentage point from 2018.
In 2019, listed banks,
Profit before tax of the retail business accounted for 38.29% of total profit
on the one hand, before tax, down 1.50 percentage points from 2018. National joint-stock
continuously refined commercial banks recorded both the largest proportion in operating income
the services for retail (44.67%) and the largest proportion in profit before tax (43.18%), while
city commercial banks saw the smallest proportion of 23.72% and 23.74%,
customers to grow respectively. In contrast, city commercial banks and rural commercial banks
income by enhancing remained heavily reliant on the corporate banking and treasury business.
precision marketing In 2019, at the individual bank level, CMB and PAB saw the retail
and customer loyalty. contribution to profit before tax exceed 50%, and the latter reported the
largest proportion of 69.14%. In terms of the retail contribution to operating
On the other hand,
income, PSBC, CMB and PAB each made a contribution of over 50%, with
they increased PSBC reporting the largest, 63.79%, outperforming its peers.
investment in building Contribution of retail business to pre-tax profits of the listed banks
platform scenarios and
50%
recruiting technology- 44.06%
41.55% 43.18%
related talent for retail 41.30% x x
41.31%
40%
business, and prudently 39.08% 39.79%
x 39.06%
38.29%
increased impairment 32.91% 29.55%
34.09%
30%
provision for expected
credit losses on retail 23.74%
20%
business. As a result, 17.88%
21.37%
business fell slightly. Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
50%
42.23% 44.67%
39.49% 39.99%
40% x x x 40.05%
39.45% 39.19%
37.56% 38.46%
33.63%
30% 30.45%
30.07%
23.72%
20%
18.58% 20.63%
10%
2017 2018 2019
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
Personal loans as a proportion of total loans of the Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks.
listed banks *CZB is excluded from calculation
50%
Online consumer lending as part of personal loans grew
42.48% rapidly in recent years, and the COVID-19 outbreak has
43.47%
40.07% increased consumer demand for contactless transactions.
40% 39.69% x 40.70%
Online lending, which relies on big data and models for
x x 40.35%
37.76%
37.32% 39.30% risk assessment, features automatic online processing
31.04% and improved loan approval and payout efficiency, thus
30% 29.48% 29.68% attracting an increasing number of customers. However,
29.45%
28.77%
the business grows so fast that it is exposed to risks
26.26%
of imprudent risk management, insufficient financial
20% consumer protection, and inadequate monitoring of
31 Dec. 2017 31 Dec. 2018 31 Dec. 2019 the use of funds. To ensure a sound development of
x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks online lending of commercial banks, effectively prevent
City commercial banks Rural commercial banks financial risks and strengthen consumer protection, the
All listed banks China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by (CBIRC) issued the Provisional Rules on Online Loans
the listed banks.
of Commercial Banks (Exposure Draft) (the “Rules”)
Personal housing loans remained a key part of personal on 9 May 2020. The Rules clarified the definition and
loans. Personal housing loans of listed banks as a
1 Annual reports published by the listed banks.
28
03 / Retail business transformation built on customer-oriented differentiators
scope of online loans, emphasized the strengthening of 3.19%. The interest spreads were divergent among listed
the lending process and post-lending regulation, set out banks, with PAB, CMB and CEB each reporting a high
the requirements for risk management, standardized interest spread, standing at 5.12%, 4.79% and 4.06%,
business partner management, and enhanced consumer respectively, in 2019.
protection. The Rules also required commercial banks to Average yields of personal loans and average interest
submit reports on online loans, conduct self-assessment, rates of personal deposits of large commercial banks
and report major matters or events. The implementation 6%
of the Rules is expected to have profound implications for
4.85%
online retail loans of listed banks. They should take this 5%
x x 4.96%
4.77% x
opportunity to review their online loan portfolio, improve
4%
their management system, optimize their business 3.21%
3.21% 3.12%
process, and steadily promote the development of online 3%
lending.
2% 1.64% 1.84%
Personal deposits were recorded as the core liabilities 1.56%
of listed banks. As at 31 December 2019, the 1%
2017 2018 2019
aggregate personal deposits of listed banks amounted
x Average yield of personal loans
to RMB58,439.86 billion, growing by 12.40% from 31
Average interest rate on personal deposits
December 2018 and accounting for 43.48% of total bank Spread between deposit rate and loan rate
deposits, up 1.38 percentage points from the prior year- Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the
end. City commercial banks posted the fastest growth, listed banks. The average interest rates on personal deposits of large commercial
banks were calculated without BOC as it did not disclose the data.
with personal loans accounting for 30.11% of total bank
deposits in 2019, up 3.18 percentage points from the Average yields of personal loans and average interest
prior year-end. Rural commercial banks reported the rates of personal deposits of National joint-stock
largest proportion of personal deposits in total bank commercial banks
deposits (56.91%), while national joint-stock commercial 6% 5.77% 5.90%
x
x x
banks reported the lowest proportion (23.18%). 5%
5.32%
30
04 / Divergent asset quality profiles and increased pressure on city and rural commercial banks
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
32
04 / Divergent asset quality profiles and increased pressure on city and rural commercial banks
Increased write-off and disposal of NPLs increase of 121 swap transactions totaling RMB167.20
billion; BOC’s market-based debt-to-equity swap
The decline in the NPL ratio of national joint-stock business in 2019 amounted to RMB118.80 billion and
banks is partly due to the continued write-off and the bank dispatched 40 directors and 16 supervisors to
disposal efforts in 2019. National joint-stock banks be involved in the corporate governance of its 50 swap
reversed RMB363.90 billion of loan impairment reserves transactions; and BOCOM realized 69 debt-to-equity
through write-offs and disposals in 2019, an increase swaps totaling RMB64.40 billion in 2019.
of RMB66.10 billion from the previous year, or 22.20%.
Led by HX, apart from CMBC, each of the national Special Mention loan ratio continued to
joint-stock banks increased their write-off and reversed decline
loan impairment reserves to varying degrees from the
previous year. HX wrote off and reversed over RMB25 As with the NPL ratio, the Special Mention loan ratio
billion in loan impairment reserves in 2019 compared of listed banks in 2019 also maintained a downward
with the previous year, an increase of 214%. Write-offs trend. At the end of 2019, the proportion of Special
and reversal of loan impairment reserves decreased Mention loans at listed banks fell to 2.31%, a decrease
compared with the previous year at large commercial of 0.35 percentage point from the end of the previous
banks. year. Among them, the proportion of Special Mention
loans at large commercial banks decreased by 0.29%,
Reversal of provisions from NPL write-offs and the proportion at national joint-stock banks decreased
disposal of the listed banks (RMB Million) by 0.34% and the proportion at city commercial banks
decreased by 0.90 percentage point. Conversely,
900,000
rural commercial banks reported an uptick of 0.04
800,000 788,379 percentage point.
730,072
700,000
Changes in the proportion of Special Mention loans of
600,000
the listed banks
500,000
368,210 3.60%
400,000 336,565 363,908
297,797 3.33%
300,000
3.20%
200,000 3.08%
77,428 2.97%
x 2.90%
100,000 54,364 2.85%
10,478 9,701 2.80% 2.76%
2.80%
- 2.67%
Large National City Rural All listed
x
2.66%
commercial joint-stock commercial commercial banks
2.40% 2.55%
banks commercial banks banks 2.38%
2.38%
banks x 2.31%
2019 2018 2.21%
2.00% 2.00%
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks. 31 Dec. 2017 31 Dec. 2018 31 Dec. 2019
At the same time, in order to address the challenge of x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
continued growth in non-performing assets as traditional City commercial banks Rural commercial banks
disposal models remain relatively limited, several listed All listed banks
banks have been exploring and implementing innovative
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
models of non-performing asset disposal. Non- the listed banks.
performing asset securitization, debt-to-equity swaps
and other non-performing asset disposal models have Overdue loan ratio continued to decline
gradually transitioned to market-based operation. ICBC,
CCB, ABC, BOC and BOCOM have all established financial The overdue loan ratio of listed banks dropped from
asset investment companies that implement debt-to- 1.87% at the end of 2018 to 1.63% at 2019 year-end.
equity swap operations. According to the information By category, the ratio fell from 1.61% to 1.36% at large
disclosed in their annual reports, CCB realized a total of commercial banks, from 2.35% to 2.07% at national
RMB159.40 billion in debt-to-equity swaps in 2019; ABC joint-stock commercial banks and from 2.46% to 2.20%
has cumulatively executed 169 debt-to-equity swaps at city commercial banks, whereas the ratio rose from
totaling RMB234.40 billion as of 2019 year-end, an 1.91% to 2.08% at rural commercial banks.
2.40%
The proportion of overdue loans in the NPL balance
2.35% of the listed banks
2.25% 2.20%
2.20%
2.08%
2.02% 1.91% 180.00%
2.07% 170.04%
2.00%
1.99%
1.80% 1.87% 160.00% 153.91%
1.78% x 151.10%
x 141.02% 141.02%
1.60%
1.61% 1.63% 140.00% 136.89% 132.73%
1.40% 137.78% 129.70%
x 1.36% 130.44%
120.00% 123.40%
1.20% x 111.65%
117.65% x
1.00% 100.00% 110.83% x 98.86%
31 Dec. 2017 31 Dec. 2018 31 Dec. 2019
All listed banks x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by City commercial banks Rural commercial banks
the listed banks.
All listed banks
The ratio of loans over 90 days in arrears to NPLs Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
decreased y-o-y, from 79.37% at the end of 2018 to the listed banks.
50.00%
The weighted average provision coverage ratio (PCR) of
31 Dec. 2017 31 Dec. 2018 31 Dec. 2019
listed banks increased by 14.47 percentage points from
the end of 2018 to 220.25% at 2019 year-end. Among
x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks them, the PCRs of large commercial banks, national
City commercial banks Rural commercial banks joint-stock banks and city commercial banks reported
All listed banks upward trends of 20.30, 6.98 and 1.06 percentage
points, respectively. Although BOCOM, IB, SPDB, HX,
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks. and CZB recorded lower PCRs compared with the
prior year-end, all of the other large commercial banks
The aggregate ratio of overdue loans to NPLs across and national joint-stock banks posted improvements.
all listed banks decreased y-o-y, from 123.40% at Among city commercial banks, eight banks showed a
the end of 2018 to 111.65% at 2019 year-end. By downward trend, including declines of more than 25
category, the ratio fell from 110.83% to 98.86% percentage points at BONJ, BTJ and BGS.
34
04 / Divergent asset quality profiles and increased pressure on city and rural commercial banks
With increases in both the balances and ratios of PCRs of the listed banks
NPLs, the PCRs of rural commercial banks fell by 7.28 2017Y/E 2018Y/E 2019Y/E
percentage points, led by the 68.55 percentage points ICBC 154.07% 175.76% 199.32%
decrease at GRCB primarily stemming from increased CCB 171.08% 208.37% 227.69%
NPL balances. ABC 208.37% 252.18% 288.75%
BOC 159.18% 181.97% 182.86%
The weighted average allowance-to-loan ratio of
BOCOM 154.73% 173.13% 171.77%
listed banks increased by 0.08 percentage point from
PSBC 324.77% 346.80% 389.45%
the previous year to 3.21% at 2019 year-end. The Large commercial banks 176.49% 207.87% 228.17%
allowance-to-loan ratio of large commercial banks, city CMB 262.11% 358.18% 426.78%
commercial banks and rural commercial banks each IB 211.78% 207.28% 199.13%
increased from the end of last year, a trend bucked by SPDB 133.39% 156.38% 133.85%
the national joint-stock banks which reported a slight CMBC 155.61% 134.05% 155.50%
0.03 percentage point decrease to 3.16% at 2019 CITIC 169.44% 157.98% 175.25%
year-end. CEB 158.18% 176.16% 181.62%
PAB 151.08% 155.24% 183.12%
Changes in provision ratios of the listed banks HX 156.51% 158.59% 141.92%
300.00% CZB 296.94% 270.37% 220.80%
283.77% National joint-stock 179.26% 191.30% 198.28%
276.49%
270.00%
commercial banks
255.47% BOB 265.57% 217.51% 224.69%
240.00%
BSH 272.52% 332.95% 337.15%
243.95%
223.79% 228.17% BJS 184.25% 203.84% 232.79%
x 224.85%
207.87% BONB 493.26% 521.83% 524.08%
210.00% 220.25%
x BONJ 462.54% 462.68% 417.73%
182.74% 205.78% 198.28%
HSB 287.45% 302.22% 303.86%
180.00% 191.30%
x BHZ 211.03% 256.00% 316.71%
179.26%
176.49% BGY 269.72% 266.05% 291.86%
150.00%
BOCD 201.41% 237.01% 253.88%
SJB 186.02% 160.81% 160.90%
120.00%
31 Dec. 2017 31 Dec. 2018 31 Dec. 2019 BOCS 260.00% 275.40% 279.98%
BTJ 193.81% 250.37% 220.58%
x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
BCQ 210.16% 225.87% 279.83%
City commercial banks Rural commercial banks HRB 167.24% 169.88% 152.50%
All listed banks BGZ 192.77% 243.72% 324.95%
BOZZ 207.75% 154.84% 159.85%
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks. ZYB 197.50% 156.11% 151.77%
BOXA 203.08% 216.53% 262.41%
Allowance-to-loan ratios of the listed banks BSZ 201.90% 174.33% 224.07%
BQD 153.52% 168.04% 155.09%
4.50% JXB 215.17% 171.42% 165.65%
3.94%
4.07%
JJCCB 192.00% 169.69% 182.34%
4.00% JSB 183.96% 212.68% 199.92%
3.57% LZCCB 294.49% 319.36% 349.78%
3.71% 3.73%
3.50% BOGS 222.00% 169.47% 135.87%
3.23% 3.19% 3.21%
x 3.16% BJZ 268.64% 123.75% 127.28%
3.07% 3.13%
3.00% x 3.13% City commercial banks 243.95% 223.79% 224.85%
2.83% 3.03%
2.67% x CQRCB 431.24% 347.79% 380.31%
2.50% CRCB 186.75% 276.64% 208.09%
QRCB 272.16% 290.05% 310.23%
2.00% CSRCB 325.93% 445.02% 481.28%
31 Dec. 2017 31 Dec. 2018 31 Dec. 2019 ZJRCB 245.73% 229.58% 236.95%
WRCB 193.77% 234.76% 288.18%
x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
JTRCB 171.48% 160.41% 167.58%
City commercial banks Rural commercial banks JYRCB 192.13% 233.71% 259.13%
All listed banks ZJGRCB 185.60% 223.85% 252.14%
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
SZRCB 201.50% 248.18% 249.32%
the listed banks. Rural commercial 255.47% 283.77% 276.49%
All listed banks 182.74% 205.78% 220.25%
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks.
36
05 / On-going transformation of wealth management operations and challenges in post-transition period
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
38
05 / On-going transformation of wealth management operations and challenges in post-transition period
40
06 / Innovative and expanded capital tools to accelerate capital replenishment
9%
31 Dec. 2017 31 Dec. 2018 31 Dec. 2019
x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by the listed banks.
42
06 / Innovative and expanded capital tools to accelerate capital replenishment
Tier-1 capital adequacy ratio of the listed banks On the asset side, throughout 2019, listed banks actively
2017Y/E 2018Y/E 2019Y/E stepped up capital rationing, proactively adjusted their
ICBC 13.27% 13.45% 14.27% business structure, and achieved a reasonable increase in
CCB 13.71% 14.42% 14.68% risk-weighted assets while enhancing their ability to serve
ABC 11.26% 12.13% 12.53% the real economy.
BOC 12.02% 12.27% 12.79%
Growth rate of risk-weighted assets
BOCOM 11.86% 12.21% 12.85%
PSBC 9.67% 10.88% 10.87% 20%
Large commercial banks* 11.97% 12.56% 13.00% 18.28% 16.27%
CMB 13.02% 12.62% 12.69% 16.43%
IB 9.67% 9.85% 10.56% 15%
12.04%
SPDB 10.24% 10.79% 11.53% 11.51%
CMBC 8.88% 9.16% 10.28% 10.44%
10.44% 10.36%
CITIC 9.34% 9.43% 10.20% 10% 9.64% x 10.33%
9.93%
x 9.67%
CEB 10.61% 10.09% 11.08% 8.31% 8.15%
PAB 9.18% 9.39% 10.54% x
5%
HX 9.37% 10.43% 11.91% 5.87%
CZB 9.96% 9.83% 10.94%
National joint-stock 10.03% 10.18% 11.08%
0%
commercial banks*
BOB 9.93% 9.85% 10.09% 2017 2018 2019
BSH 12.37% 11.22% 10.92% x Large commercial banks National joint-stock commercial banks
BJS 10.40% 10.28% 10.10% City commercial banks Rural commercial banks
BONJ 9.37% 9.74% 10.01% Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
the listed banks.
HSB 9.46% 9.18% 10.85%
BHZ 10.76% 9.91% 9.62% The growth rate of risk-weighted assets across various
BGY 9.54% 11.22% 10.77% types of the listed banks in 2019 was lower than the
BOCD 10.48% 11.15% 10.14% growth rate of their net capital.
SJB 9.04% 8.52% 11.48%
BOCS 8.72% 9.55% 10.76% Comparison of net capital growth and risk-weighted
BTJ 8.65% 9.84% 10.63% asset growth in 2019
BCQ 10.24% 9.94% 9.82% 10.36%
HRB 9.74% 9.75% 10.24% All listed banks 15.78%
BGZ 10.93% 10.62% 12.30% Rural commercial 10.44%
15.95%
BOZZ 10.49% 10.48% 10.05% banks
9.67%
ZYB 12.16% 11.49% 10.31% City commercial
banks 13.52%
BOXA 11.59% 11.87% 12.62%
BSZ 10.45% 10.10% 11.34% National joint-stock 12.04%
commercial banks 15.14%
BQD 12.57% 11.82% 11.33% 10.33%
Large commercial
JXB 9.40% 10.79% 9.97% 15.57%
banks
JJCCB 8.75% 8.90% 8.97%
Risk-weighted asset Net capital
JSB 10.16% 10.63% 11.47%
Source: Calculated based on the annual reports and prospectuses published by
LZCCB 10.40% 10.69% 9.31% the listed banks.
BOGS 8.71% 11.01% 9.92%
BJZ 10.24% 7.43% 6.46% On the capital side, listed banks have paid more attention
City commercial banks* 10.15% 10.28% 10.41% to improving their capacity to generate capital internally.
CQRCB 10.40% 10.96% 12.44% With continuous advancement in transformation and
CRCB 10.72% 10.53% 11.65% innovation, some listed banks gradually reduced their
QRCB 10.51% 10.61% 10.49% dependence on external capital replenishment and
CSRCB 9.92% 10.53% 12.49% promoted the growth of internally generated capital
ZJRCB 9.69% 9.70% 11.07% through profit growth. For example, BOB, BTJ and HRB
WRCB 9.93% 10.44% 10.20% each increased their core Tier-1 CAR, Tier-1 CAR and
JTRCB 9.66% 9.50% 9.66% CAR over 2019 without tapping external sources.
JYRCB 12.95% 14.04% 14.17%
At the same time, as regulators continue to promote
ZJGRCB 11.82% 11.94% 11.02%
capital instrument innovation and broaden capital
SZRCB 12.27% 10.99% 12.17%
replenishment channels, the capital acquisition
Rural commercial* 10.79% 10.92% 11.54%
All listed banks* 10.47% 10.65% 11.06%
approaches of listed banks have become more diversified
Source: Public annual reports of the listed banks.
in 2019, with the issuance of perpetual bonds quickly
*Simple arithmetic average becoming one of the key approaches.
Listed banks in China: 2019 review and outlook / 43
For core Tier-1 capital replenishment, a total of 10 Listed bank perpetual bond issuance in 2019*
banks successfully listed on the A-share or H-share Issuance date RMB Billion
market in 2019, and the total capital raised amounted
to RMB73.54 billion, a record high since 2017. As the BOC Jan. 2019 40
number of listed banks increased, so did the types, CMBC May. 2019 40
covering city commercial banks, rural commercial HX Jun. 2019 40
banks, national joint-stock banks and large state-owned ICBC Jul. 2019 80
banks. Among them, early Hong Kong-listed PSBC, CZB SPDB Jul. 2019 30
ABC Aug. and Sep. 2019 120
and CQRCB officially returned to the A-share market.
BO-COM Sep. 2019 40
Notably, on 10 December 2019, PSBC listed on the
CCB Nov. 2019 40
Shanghai Stock Exchange, raising RMB32.71 billion.
CITIC Dec. 2019 40
Funds raised by IPOs of listed banks in 2019 PAB Dec. 2019 20
Listing date 上市地点 Listing T
募集资金总 otal funds HSB Dec. 2019 10
market raised Total 500
RMB Source: Annual reports published by the listed banks.
equivalent *Only includes banks that separately disclosed the data.
(millions)民币)
ZJRCB 3 Jan. 2019 Shang Hai 1,150 In addition to perpetual bonds, seven listed banks have
BQD 16 Jan. 2019 Shen Zhen 2,038 successfully issued preferred shares to supplement
BOXA 1 Mar. 2019 Shang Hai 2,080 additional Tier-1 capital, with an aggregate issuance
QRCB 26 Mar. 2019 Shen Zhen 2,202 equivalent of RMB207.80 billion, the highest since 2017.
JSB 18 Jul. 2019 Hong Kong 3,264
Listed bank perpetual bond issuance in 2019*
BSZ 2 Aug. 2019 Shen Zhen 2,620
Issuance date RMB Billion
CQRCB 29 Oct. 2019 Shang Hai 9,988
CZB 26 Nov. 2019 Shang Hai 12,597 IB Apr. 2019 30
PSBC 10 Dec. 2019 Shang Hai 32,714 CRCB Jun. 2019 9.80
BGZ 30
数据来源:各银行公开年报。
Dec. 2019 Hong Kong 4,889 BOC Jun. and Aug. 2019 100
Total 73,541 CEB Jul. 2019 35
Source: Public annual reports of the listed banks.
ICBC Sep. 2019 70
In addition, SNB also raised RMB18 billion through CMBC Oct. 2019 20
private placement of both H-shares and domestic shares BOCS Dec. 2019 6
Total 207.8
to boost its core capital adequacy level.
Source: Annual reports published by the listed banks.
Four listed banks issued convertible bonds, totaling *Only includes banks that separately disclosed the data.
RMB136 billion, a significant increase over the previous For Tier-2 capital, a total of 18 listed banks raised
year. RMB559.20 billion through issuance of Tier-2 capital
bonds throughout the year, which is significantly higher
Listed bank convertible bond issuance in 2019*
Issuance date RMB Billion
than 2017 and 2018.
PAB Jan. 2019 26 Listed bank Tier-2 capital bond issuance in 2019*
CITIC Mar. 2019 40 (RMB Billion)
BJS Mar. 2019 20 ICBC 110.00
SPDB Nov. 2019 50 CCB 12.90
Total 136 ABC 120.00
Source: Annual reports published by the listed banks. BOC 70.00
*Only includes banks that separately disclosed the data.
BOCOM 40.00
Perpetual bonds emerged in late 2018 as a tool for banks IB 50.00
to supplement additional Tier-1 capital. In January 2019, CMBC 40.00
BOC successfully issued its first perpetual bond, which PAB 30.00
BONJ 5.00
set a precedent in the industry. Following BOC, a total of
BJS 20.00
11 listed banks issued an aggregate of RMB500 billion in
BSH 20.00
perpetual bonds throughout the year.
BHZ 10.00
BOCD 10.50
BONB 10.00
BGY 4.50
WRCB 0.80
ZJGRCB 0.50
CQRCB 5.00
Total 559.20
Source: Annual reports published by the listed banks.
*Only includes banks that separately disclosed the data.
44
06 / Innovative and expanded capital tools to accelerate capital replenishment
Continued pressure placed upon capital strength, but also fundamentally support banks to
further increase availability of credit. It thus better
In 2019, although the overall CAR of listed banks
supports the development of the real economy,
steadily increased, there was divergence by bank type.
especially for small- and micro-sized enterprises,
Large commercial banks had the highest CARs, followed
as well as to provide a strong backing for the
by rural commercial banks; whereas national joint-
development and transformation of banking business.
stock banks and city commercial banks had lower. City
commercial banks continued to face capital pressure, In order to further support commercial banks to
ending the year with 13.31% CAR, which was lower than broaden their capital replenishment channels,
the average level of the industry and all commercial regulatory agencies have issued a series of
banks. policies from 2019 that not only broaden capital
replenishment instruments, but also fill out the
In recent years, with the advancement of policies
working mechanisms for capital instrument
by regulatory agencies to rein in leverage and guide
identification and issuance. For example, in November
banks to return to traditional credit, listed banks
2019, the CBIRC issued the “Circular on Guiding
have developed increased demand for capital. Also,
Opinions on the Innovation of Capital Instruments
accelerated write-off of NPLs requires more capital
of Commercial Banks (Revised)” to support such
support.
issuance, such as improving the mechanisms for loss
From 2020 onward, listed banks have been facing more absorption of capital replenishment instruments.
complex domestic and overseas operating environments, The State Council has also issued a series of policy
especially the global outbreak of COVID-19, which has documents guiding the establishment of long-
a large impact on domestic and overseas economies, term capital replenishment mechanisms, focusing
societies, financial markets and people. Listed banks on supporting small- and medium-sized banks to
are actively responding to government and regulatory replenish capital through multiple channels and
requirements, fulfilling their social responsibilities optimizing their capital structure to enhance their
and benefiting the real economy, especially small- and ability to serve the real economy and enhance
medium-sized enterprises, while also facing potential risk resilience. The CBIRC further clarified that it
credit risk, interest spreads and profitability challenges. supported the injection of funds and cash-realizable
Under the influence of these factors, the capacity of assets into some high-risk small- and medium-sized
listed banks to internally generate capital through profit banks to replenish their capital, and called upon
retention may be affected to a certain extent. qualified and robust private enterprises and foreign-
funded institutions to participate in the reform and
At the same time, with the phase-in of the capital-
reorganization of these banks3.
differentiated bank regulatory regime over commercial
banks, both global systemically important banks Listed banks need to strengthen their research
(G-SIBs) and domestic systemically important banks and strategic judgment efforts in response to the
(D-SIBs) face stricter capital supervision requirements, current capital pressure, and make preparations to
which may bring capital replenishment pressure in support long-term stable development by leveraging
varying degrees. As ICBC, ABC, CCB and BOC have supportive policies and innovative tools. When
been designated as G-SIBs, they will yet face stricter formulating capital replenishment plans, banks should
capital constraints in the future. Not only will they need consider factors such as their own development,
to meet additional core Tier-1 capital requirements business structure, capacity to generate and
ranging from 1% to 3.5%, but they will also be subject retain internal capital, and changes in the external
to more stringent regulatory requirements for total loss environment in order to arrange capital replenishment
absorption capacity (TLAC), which requires forward- and make good use of domestic and foreign markets
looking capital replenishment arrangements. In addition, through selecting appropriate channels, tools, and
the PBOC and the CBIRC issued the “Measures for target investors.
Evaluation of Systemically Important Banks (Draft for
In addition to accelerating the replenishment of
Comment)” in November 2019 to strengthen additional
externally-sourced capital, listed banks should also
capital supervision of D-SIBs. This means following
commence efforts at capital rationing, balancing
the evaluation of D-SIBs in 2020, more banks may be
and dynamically matching capital with risk-weighted
designated as D-SIBs and become subject to additional
assets, appropriately reducing risk-weighted assets,
capital requirements, increasing capital pressure on
while boosting profitability, enhancing retention of
these banks.
internally-generated capital, and accelerating strategic
transformation to lay a more solid foundation for the
Capital replenishment still requires long-term sustainable development of the banking
improvement industry.
Therefore, broadening the channels of capital
replenishment and accelerating the pace of capital
replenishment can not only effectively alleviate the
capital constraints of banks and consolidate their capital 3 CBIRC, 3 April 2020.
46
07 / Sustainable development of green finance and accelerated growth of inclusive finance
Apr. Notice on Supporting the The People’s The policy aims to support the enterpris-es in the green finance
2019 Is-suance of Green Debt Bank of China reform and innovation pilot areas register and issue green financing
Fi-nancing Instruments in tools to diversify the financing channels and further develop China’s
the Green Finance Reform green financial market.
and Innovation Pilot Zone
Jul. Implementation Opinions The People’s The implementation opinions are aimed at summarizing and
2019 on Promoting the Reform Government introducing the experi-ence in the construction of Huadu green
and Innovation of Green of Guangzhou finance reform and innovation pilot area, promoting the city's green
Finance in Guangzhou Municipality finance reform and innovation efforts, enabling green fi-nance
to better serve the high-quality de-velopment of Guangzhou and
the construction of the Greater Bay Area, and proposing to give
incentives to newly in-troduced green finance institutions and talent.
Aug. Implementation Rules Seven provin- The implementation rules aim to support the initial interest payment
2019 for the Implementation cial authori- by non-financial enterprises in the province, and the fund-raising
of Green Bond Discount ties, including project is included in the province's green bonds. In terms of the
Policy in Jiangsu Province the Jiangsu specific discount amount, 30% of the annual actual interest paid by
(Trial) Development the non-financial enterprises that have successfully issued green
and Reform bonds will be discounted. The duration of the discount is two years,
Commission and the maximum annual discount amount of a single bond will not
exceed RMB2 million.
Sep. Notice on Introducing Tongzhou District The plan proposes to promote the con-struction of green finance
2019 Tongzhou District of People’s and sustainable financial center in Beijing, actively develop green
Implemen-tation Plan Government financial format, cultivate new financial products and format, and
for Creating a Pilot Area of Beijing further open up the financial sector.
for further Opening up Municipality
Service Industry
Sep. Opinions of Jilin Province The People’s The opinions clarify the scope of green finance support in the
2019 on Promoting the Government of province, strengthen the construction of green project pool,
Development of Green Jilin Province improve the green credit management mechanism, promote the
Finance establishment of green bank evaluation and reward mechanisms,
innovate green credit products and service methods, and subsidize
and discount green credit.
Dec. Notice on Revising the The People’s It proposed to revise the old edition of the green credit statistical
2019 Special Statistical System Bank of China system, further expand the statistical scope aligned with the national
of Green Credit green industry standard. The new edition of the statistical scope
in-cludes personal business loans, and the green standard will be
updated in accordance with the Green Industry Guidance Catalogue
(2019).
48
07 / Sustainable development of green finance and accelerated growth of inclusive finance
Issuer 2019 Green financial bond name* Issuance date Amount Place of
issuance
ICBC The first Belt & Road Inter-bank Regular 16 April 2019 RMB1 billion, Offshore
Singapore Coopera-tion Bond US$1.5 billion,
Branch EUR0.5 billion
IB Industrial Bank 2019 1st Green Bond 16 July 2019 RMB20 billion Domestic
CZB China Zheshang Bank 2019 Green Bond 16 September 2019 RMB5 billion Domestic
BOZZ Bank of Zheng-zhou 2019 1st Green Bond 3 June 2019 RMB2 billion Domestic
BGY Guiyang Bank 2019 1st Green Bond 10 September 2019 RMB3 billion Domestic
BJS Bank of Jiangsu 2019 1st Green Bond 18 April 2019 RMB10 billion Domestic
50
08 / Increasing FinTech investment to continue to drive innovation
At present, adopting digital strategy has been a priority for the banking
industry to accelerate business transformation and improve overall
In 2019, listed banks
operational capacity and risk management capacity. FinTech has also been
increased their FinTech widely applied in a wide range of banking business areas.
investment in multiple
Increasing FinTech investment to accelerate business
dimensions, further transformation and growth
strengthening the role
In 2019, the PBOC released the FinTech Development Plan (2019—2021)
of FinTech in driving (“the Plan”) to outline guidelines, basic principles, development targets,
business transformation key tasks and supportive measures for FinTech development in the next
and business growth and three years, as well as the Notice on Issuing Financial Industry Standards
to Enhance Security Management of Financial Mobile Applications (Yinfa
embracing accelerated
[2019] No.237), the FinTech Product Certification Catalog (First Batch)
innovation. and the FinTech Product Certification Rules to further clarify regulations
over FinTech. As the first medium- and long-term FinTech development
plan proposed by the PBOC, the Plan laid a solid foundation for the healthy
development of FinTech in the medium and long term and presented
opportunities for the acceleration of FinTech development. We analyzed
2019 annual reports of various listed banks and noted increased emphasis
on strategic importance of FinTech innovation and wider range of FinTech
application.
Large state-owned banks placed great emphasis on the role of FinTech
on business transformation and growth by investing heavily in FinTech
and attracting innovation talent. FinTech is a keyword of ICBC’s innovative
development in the past year. ICBC has created an all-round intelligent
banking system without boundary by promoting the in-depth integration
of technology and finance from a full range of perspectives, including
ecology, scenario, architecture, technology and institution. Integrating
online and offline businesses and connecting diverse domains, the system
boasts intelligent and inclusive customer service, open and interconnected
financial ecology, shared and connected operations, and efficient and
flexible product innovation. With a consolidated FinTech foundation, CCB
actively promoted the development of FinTech-based platforms including AI,
blockchain and the Internet of Things. It has developed collaborative smart
finance solutions to promote the enhancement of internal digital operation
and management capabilities. Leveraging the integration advantages of
the New Generation core banking system, it also developed a unified view
of corporate customers. CCB accelerated the development of “multiple
touch-points and integrated” smart channels and launched “5G+ intelligent
bank”. To empower external partners with the concept of openness and
sharing, it has built a new ecosystem for government, business and
customer communities. Moreover, it created a smart government affairs
service platform and established the “five-in-one” service model of mobile
APP, PC terminal, outlet STMs, “CCB Yunongtong” and government affairs
lobbying. ABC deeply implemented the digital transformation strategy which
was in line with the development trend of FinTech, and made significant
progress in building platforms, online financing, creating scenarios and
data governance. ABC regarded digitalization as the core driving force of
business transformation, accelerated the innovation of online products of
the “ABC E-loan” series, and continuously expanded the integration and
supply of important digital infrastructure such as technology platforms,
data assets, and middle platforms for its businesses. ABC continued
to expand smart scenarios related to the industrial chain, government
affairs and people’s livelihood, and retail consumption to serve and
support the accelerated development of the digital economy with digital
financial innovation. Driven by technology, BOCOM’s FinTech strategy has
Amount and y-o-y growth of FinTech/IT investment by large commercial banks and national join-stock
commercial banks in 2019 (RMB100 million)
140.00 127.90
116.54
120.00 24.66% 30%
93.61 22.94%
100.00
81.80
80.00 20%
15.15%
60.00 50.45 48.94
41.20
35.65
40.00 13.66% 34.04 26.56 10%
20.00 10.91
- 0%
CCB ICBC ABC BOC CMB PSBC BOCOM CITIC SPDB IB CEB HX PAB
Amount of FinTech/IT investment by large commercial banks and national join-stock commercial banks in 2019 (in RMB million)
Year-on-year growth of FinTech/IT investment by large commercial banks and national join-stock commercial banks in 2019
52
08 / Increasing FinTech investment to continue to drive innovation
City commercial banks and rural commercial banks amount of investment, CCB, BOCOM, CEB, SPDB, PSBC
also strived to strengthen the role of FinTech in and CMB also disclosed the proportion of FinTech/IT
leading and supporting reform and innovation. JSB investment in their operating income in 2019, which
set up the FinTech Innovation Committee, leading a was more than 2% for all six listed banks. Specifically,
number of project teams to vigorously promote agility CMB reported the highest proportion of 3.72%. Nine
transformation. In 2019, JSB further increased its listed banks –BOC, BOCOM, PSBC, CMB, CITIC, CEB, IB,
FinTech investment to RMB689 million and continued PAB and HX disclosed the y-o-y FinTech/IT investment
to attract more FinTech professionals. BONJ sped up growth in 2019. Specifically, CMB and CEB reported a
the construction of an IT service line and expanded its growth of more than 40%.
talent pool. BONJ launched the “Blue π Program” and
organized the BONJ University open day under the
Seize new opportunities for innovation
theme of FinTech, so as to identify 2020 outstanding and development of the banking industry
graduates in advance to enrich its scientific and brought about by FinTech
technological talent team. BOSC invested RMB1,433
million in 2019, up 36.91% y-o-y, accounting for 2.95% TThe development of FinTech has brought new
of their operating income, which was even higher than opportunities in the innovation and development of
that of some large commercial banks and national joint- listed banks. In 2019, listed banks pressed ahead with
stock commercial banks. As at 31 December 2019, FinTech innovation and achieved innovation milestones.
BOSC had 706 IT personnel, accounting for 5.75% of For example, ICBC hosted the ECOS launch event in
its total number of employees, which was also higher Beijing on 8 November 2019. Designed to support
than that of some large commercial banks and national the transformation and development of the bank in
joint-stock commercial banks. the new era with cutting-edge financial technology,
the smart banking ecosystem thereby opened a new
Unlike previous years, several listed banks have chapter in the course of building a smart bank. ECOS
disclosed their FinTech/IT investment and the number was characterized by six achievements, which were
of FinTech/IT personnel in their 2019 annual reports. being closely integrated into various business areas
Although listed banks disclosed data on different bases, and significantly improving service capabilities and
they generally increased capital investment in FinTech customer experience. These six achievements include
and emphasis on FinTech talent. ICBC setting up an open and integrated cross-border
Four large commercial banks of CCB, ICBC, ABC and ecology and becoming the largest comprehensive
BOC all invested more than RMB10 billion in FinTech/ financial service provider in China; rolling out a brand-
IT in 2019. National joint-stock commercial banks also new innovation model of “Smart Plus”; realizing
invested billions of RMB in FinTech/IT. Specifically, highly adaptive and flexible support to fleeting
CMB invested nearly RMB10 billion. In addition to the scenarios; creating the “host plus open platform”
Number of FinTech/IT personnel and its proportion to the total number of employees of large commercial banks
and national join-stock commercial banks in 2019
Number of FinTech/IT personnel in the Bank/Group of large commercial banks and national join-stock commercial banks in 2019
Proportion of FinTech/IT personnel to total number of employees of the Bank/Group of large commercial banks and national join-stock
commercial banks in 2019
D
亚 igital innovation opportunities in consumer banking, corporate and commercial banking, and investment
banking businesses of banks in Asia-Pacific
Corporate and Banks are increasingly committing to digital transformation and deepening relationships
commercial banking with partners and clients within the corporate and commercial banking ecosystem. Banks are
deploying technology to increase efficiency and improve client experience with real–time cross–
border payments, mobile payment services, and APIs that can integrate the bank’s system with
the client’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to facilitate transaction processing.
A key opportunity lies in automating the manual processes of trade finance to harmonize and
simplify transactions, lower costs and reduce risk. Blockchain for trade finance holds great
promise and is a sought after technology by the corporate and commercial banking sector.
Investment banking Front office innovation opportunities are coming on stream for investment banks as advanced
analytics and AI help to improve decision–making, enrich insights and reduce costs. For example:
• Client onboarding: manually intensive onboarding processes could be digitized, end to end.
In this regard, technologies, such as blockchain, that address digital identity may be game
changers in the longer term.
• Client insight and analytics: using advanced analytics on position and transaction data can
identify patterns and trends for relationship managers. Advanced analytics and unstructured
data engineering can be applied to natural language input, market news, economic reports,
monetary policy changes and political events, to gain richer insights, more quickly than human
research teams.
• Trading: advanced analytics can improve the performance of front–office desks. By analyzing
executed trades and comparing them with market news and the data available to traders,
algorithms can identify suboptimal trading strategies.
54
08 / Increasing FinTech investment to continue to drive innovation
56
09 / Enhancing resilience to tap into new opportunities amid pandemic
and turn threats into Immediately after the COVID-19 outbreak, China’s central government and
opportunities. relevant regulatory authorities have decisively rolled out a package of fiscal
and financial stimulus measures to stabilize the financial market, ensure
adequate provision of funds earmarked for the containment of the pandemic
and resumption of work and production of enterprises, and alleviate
economic downturn pressure caused by the pandemic. The major measures
as of 24 April 2020 are outlined as follows4:
• The PBOC has stepped up short-term and mid-term liquidity support via
reverse repos, medium-term lending facility (MLF), targeted RRR cuts,
and lower interest rates on excess reserves, among other tools.
• In an effort to lower market rates, the central bank has rolled out
policies intensively, including cutting the 1-year MLF rate by 30 basis
points, lowering the 1-year and above-5-year loan prime rate (LPR) by
30 basis points and 15 basis points, respectively, and cutting the 7-day
and 14-day reverse repo rates by 30 basis points and 10 basis points,
respectively.
• To step up credit support, the central bank has issued RMB300 billion
special re-lending funds to policy and commercial banks via its re-lending
program to finance major enterprises involved in pandemic control,
increased the re-lending and re-discounting quota by RMB500 billion
to support enterprises to resume work and production in an orderly
way. In addition, China’s policy banks have added a special credit quota
of RMB350 billion for micro- and small-sized enterprises and private
businesses to support their efforts in resuming operations, spring
plowing and foreign-trade-related manufacturing. At the end of March,
the Executive Meeting of the State Council proposed a more than RMB3
trillion credit support program targeting small- and medium- sized
enterprises (SMEs)
2
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the banking sector
has actively responded to the government’s call for
Credit support
delivering targeted financial services to support the
national effort in combating the pandemic and resuming Listed banks have rapidly opened green channels,
work and operation. According to the PBOC statistics, reduced fee charges, and financially supported pandemic
China’s new bank lending reached RMB7.1 trillion in prevention and control as well as enterprises expecting
the first quarter of 2020, growing by RMB1.29 trillion to resume operation. For example, as of the end of
y-o-y, a scale that has effectively propped up orderly February, ABC’s RMB and foreign currency loans grew
resumption of production by enterprises. In terms of rate by RMB526.20 billion, a y-o-y increase of RMB28.40
cuts, the weighted-average interest rate on loans under billion6. Listed banks have also actively optimized the
the RMB300 billion special re-lending quota stands eligibility models and business procedures for their
at 2.51%, and the real lending rate for enterprises is funding products and launched a number of online
around 1.26% with a 50% interest subsidy granted by credit products to improve credit approval and payout
the MOF; and the weighted-average interest rate on the efficiency.
RMB500 billion funds added through the re-lending and
Particularly, CITIC issued the first pandemic bond across
re-discounting mechanism remains lower than the 4.55%
the industry to support spring plowing, pig husbandry,
requirement of the State Council. In addition, banks
e-commerce and logistics, emergency reserves, and non-
and insurance companies have proactively performed
hazardous treatment of special wastes from pandemic
their corporate social responsibilities, highlighted by a
control activities7. BOC issued the first pandemic control
donation of funds and materials totaling RMB2.70 billion
CSR bond worth of MOP 5 billion to help Macau’s SMEs
to the frontline fighting the pandemic, a cooperative
to manage difficulties and support Macau toward smooth
effort with Chinese embassies overseas in providing
economic recovery8.
free surgical masks and disinfectant to Chinese students
studying abroad and the employees of the Chinese
enterprises working overseas, and an extensive donation
3 Contactless online financial services
of resources to 59 countries and regions severely The COVID-19 outbreak has revealed the significance
affected by the pandemic5. of digital transformation to banks. To ensure effective
Listed banks, as the backbone of the banking industry, social distancing amid the pandemic, many banks
have devoted all their efforts to fighting against the have determined to launch safer “working-at-home”,
pandemic. They have strived to maintain business “contactless” financial services, switching services from
continuity and stability in service quality while offline to online to process business via phone call, the
implementing quarantine measures across their internet, mobile apps and official accounts. Some other
organizations; supported enterprises to combat the 6 Annual reports and earnings presentations by the listed banks. BIRC website.
7 CITIC annual report.
5 CBIRC website. 8 BOC website.
58
09 / Enhancing resilience to tap into new opportunities amid pandemic
banks have processed customer identity verification profitability, risk control, operation and prospects, and
and authentication through photo uploads and remote realign their annual objectives and business strategies,
videos and conducted product marketing via webcast among other necessary measures. Meanwhile, listed
and short videos. As CCB has summarized in its annual banks are expected to analyze the potential changes
report, FinTech systems and applications have enabled in production modes and lifestyles, develop flexible
its employees to process business and credit approval at operational strategies, and tap and seize new growth
home without disruption, and to deliver online products opportunities.
and services with targeted online solutions provided to
customers. Business continuity and operational resilience is of great
significance for financial institutions as they undertake
4 Integration into broad pandemic the mission of safeguarding economic stability amid
pandemic. The health crisis triggered by the COVID-19
response efforts
outbreak impels listed banks to rethink and improve their
On the strength of open and integrated cross-industry capabilities in business continuity management, review
platforms and facilities, listed banks have effectively their measures for IT infrastructure and network and
facilitated the efforts of government organizations and information security, and develop systematic emergency
communities in intelligent community management, response plans, so that they can respond more swiftly and
delivery of necessary supplies, and household shopping flexibly to maintain social and financial stability.
services. For example, PAB has provided SME clients
with convenient mobile working services through its The COVID-19 outbreak has taken a heavy toll on
Pocket Finance app, by which enterprise clients are able wholesale and retail, accommodation and catering,
to handle employee training, attendance management transportation, culture and tourism, and import and
and salary payment. CMB has designed a pandemic export sectors, with smaller businesses facing more
response module in its app to support pandemic severe effects. Meanwhile, faster development will be
prevention and containment and launched Cloud Class to seen in areas such as biomedicine, AI, FinTech, traditional
facilitate online primary and secondary education. CEB infrastructure construction, and the development of
has leveraged its online payment strengths to guarantee new infrastructure. Thus, listed banks need to reallocate
smooth online payment of utility fees to minimize resources to address the shifting capital needs amid
outdoor exposure of the populace, particularly for those structural transformation and the reshaping of supply
living in the high-risk regions9. chains, and to ensure adequate capital supply for the
real economy. Moreover, listed banks need to closely
60
10 / Outlook
62
10 /10Outlook
/ 展望
64
01 / Faster growth in operating income and net profit and slower growth in impairment allowance
At present, the Chinese banking industry is experiencing a critical period of a new wave of transformation and
development, particularly, when more foreign banks are expected to enter the Chinese market to compete directly
with local banks amid China’s effort to further open up the financial sector. From an outbound perspective, large
Chinese banks will seek to expand their presence in overseas markets and compete with global players as the
Belt and Road Initiative and RMB internationalization, among other national strategies, are being implemented
continuously. Thus, for large commercial banks, the focus will be on how to adapt to the changing business
environment to explore an effective way of pursuing transformation and sustainable development.
The financial indicators of 10 key European and American banks are listed in the following table, based on the annual
reports of the listed banks in the past three years. It is hoped that benchmarking the financial indicators of the
world’s leading banks will provide new ideas for the transformation and development of listed banks.
Profitability:
66
Contact us
Leadership Team Other Contacts
Hong Kong
Teresa Tso
Financial Services
+852 2846 9033
teresa.tso@hk.ey.com
Macau
Jasmine Lee
Financial Services
+852 2629 3006
jasmine-sy.lee@hk.ey.com
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