年化利率上限降至20% 消费金融迎来“阵痛期”

Core Insights - The implementation of new regulations in the consumer finance sector is leading to a significant reduction in interest rates for newly issued loans, with a requirement to keep the average financing cost below 20% starting from Q1 next year [1][2] - The consumer finance and small banking sectors are under pressure to adapt to these changes, with many institutions delaying financing plans or optimizing personnel [1][4] - The industry consensus is shifting towards "cost reduction," as previous growth strategies relying on loan facilitation may no longer be sustainable [1][3] Consumer Finance Industry - Recent interest rate cuts mark the second reduction in five years, with the previous cap on personal loan annual interest rates being lowered from 36% to 24% around 2021 [2] - As of 2025, 11 consumer finance institutions have reported average loan rates below the 24% threshold, although some institutions still have over 50% of their products above 20% [2][3] - The lowest average loan rate among these institutions is 11.56%, while others like 中邮消金 have over 52% of loans exceeding 20% [3][4] Cost Structure and Challenges - The cost structure for consumer finance institutions includes funding costs, customer acquisition costs, risk costs, and operational costs, with funding costs decreasing but other costs rising [4][5] - Institutions are facing challenges in maintaining profitability under the new interest rate caps, with some reporting that operational costs are becoming a significant concern [4][5] - The industry is tightening customer acquisition channels, with some institutions postponing planned asset-backed securities (ABS) issuances due to market conditions [4][5] Transition and Adaptation - The consumer finance sector is at a crossroads, needing to enhance customer acquisition capabilities to lower customer acquisition and risk costs [6][7] - Different business models and resource allocations among institutions lead to significant variations in cost distribution and loan pricing [6][7] - The recent regulatory changes have prompted concerns about the sustainability of high-interest loan collaborations, particularly among small banks in less developed regions [8]