背靠昔日“零售之王”，规模净利双降的招银理财如何破局？

Core Viewpoint - Recent adjustments in fee rates by leading bank wealth management companies reflect a strategy to mitigate investor sensitivity to declining yields, driven by falling policy rates and lower fixed-income asset returns. This "price for volume" approach is seen as a survival tactic in the current market environment [1]. Group 1: Company Performance - By the end of 2024, China's asset management scale is expected to exceed 150 trillion yuan, with bank wealth management accounting for nearly one-fifth, yet it has not surpassed public funds to reclaim its former status as the largest segment [1]. - As of March 2025, the product scale managed by China Merchants Bank Wealth Management (招银理财) was 2.36 trillion yuan, a decrease of 4.45% from the end of 2024. This decline is notable as it marks the first financial regulatory penalty received by the company since its establishment nearly five years ago [1][2]. - 招银理财 received a fine of 8.5 million yuan for regulatory violations, including inadequate identification of underlying assets and non-compliance in information disclosure. This penalty is the largest single fine issued to a bank wealth management subsidiary in 2024 [1][2]. Group 2: Market Trends - The bank wealth management sector has seen a significant decline in product rates, with an overall decrease of approximately 8% in management fees in the first quarter of 2024. Fixed-income and mixed products experienced the most substantial drops, at 7.82% and 11.65%, respectively [9]. - The number of bank wealth management products increased to 42,431 by June 23, 2024, up by over 1,700 from the beginning of the year, with an overall scale of approximately 31.32 trillion yuan [5]. - In response to market conditions, 招银理财 has reduced fixed investment management fees for several products, with one product's fee dropping from 0.2% to 0.01% (annualized) for a limited time [6][8]. Group 3: Strategic Adjustments - The strategy of lowering fees is primarily aimed at attracting customers and responding to short-term pressures from interest rate cuts. This trend may lead to a normalization of ultra-low fee products among leading wealth management firms [9]. - The shift towards lower fees is seen as a temporary measure to enhance market share and customer loyalty, while the long-term focus will need to shift towards investment research capabilities and product innovation for sustainable competition [9].