Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-12-31 10:18Group 1 - The six major state-owned banks in China will start paying interest on the balances of real-name digital RMB wallets at the same rate as demand deposits from January 1, 2026, marking a significant shift in the digital currency landscape [1][2] - The People's Bank of China has introduced a new action plan to enhance the management and service system for digital RMB, which will officially launch on January 1, 2026, transitioning digital RMB from a "digital cash era" to a "digital deposit currency era" [1][4] - The definition of digital RMB has been updated to include the payment system and clarify the dual-layer operational structure, where the central bank issues digital RMB to operating institutions, which then exchange it with the public [3][4] Group 2 - The new digital RMB will have characteristics of commercial bank liabilities, transitioning from being a direct liability of the central bank to a liability of commercial banks, thus allowing wallet balances to earn interest and be covered by deposit insurance [4][5] - The action plan optimizes the dual-layer operational structure, assigning responsibilities to the central bank for rule-making and infrastructure, while commercial banks will manage customer wallets and ensure compliance, thus transforming their role from cost centers to profit centers [5][6] - The action plan integrates digital RMB into the traditional monetary control system, allowing bank-operated digital RMB to be included in the reserve requirement framework, which will enhance liquidity in the banking system [6][7] Group 3 - As of November 2025, the digital RMB pilot has processed 3.48 billion transactions with a total value exceeding 16.7 trillion yuan, indicating strong adoption and usage [7]