Number of banks in China 2009-2024
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The number of banking institutions in China reached to 4,425 by 2024. The number of banks had been increasing until 2019 and been relatively stable since then until the number of institutions has dropped in 2024.
Domestic banks in China
Domestic commercial banks in China can be categorized according to ownership and regional distribution in state-owned commercial banks, nationwide incorporated commercial banks, city and regional commercial banks and rural commercial banks. The state-owned commercial banks are also among China’s largest public companies. Besides the commercial banks, there are three “policy” banks in China which play an essential role in financing state-invested projects.
Foreign banks in China
Foreign banks are allowed to incorporate locally in Mainland China and start certain operations after the approval of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. In comparison, foreign banks face less strict regulations and can conduct a larger spectrum of business activities in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao.
