存款江湖变天

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the shift in focus of major banks in China from merely attracting deposits to enhancing asset management and wealth management services, particularly through promotional activities aimed at increasing the scale of various financial assets held by customers [5][6]. Group 1: Asset Enhancement Activities - Major state-owned banks have launched attractive "asset enhancement" activities, shifting their focus from deposit acquisition to increasing assets under management (AUM) and strengthening wealth management [5][6]. - For example, Agricultural Bank of China has set up a structured "Unified Asset Enhancement Activity" from January to March 2026, with rewards based on the increase in average financial assets compared to December 2025, offering rewards ranging from 52,000 to 2,400,000 "small beans" based on different tiers of AUM [6][8]. - The rewards can be exchanged for various products and services, with the highest tier potentially offering over 12,000 yuan in value [8]. Group 2: Competitive Strategies Among Banks - Different banks are implementing various strategies to attract and retain customers, such as Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's "Increasing Rewards" program, which targets customers with lower average financial assets and offers rewards based on asset increases [9]. - Other banks like China Construction Bank and Bank of China are also running similar promotional activities, with varying reward structures and incentives for asset retention [9][10]. - Some smaller banks have raised deposit rates to attract customers, with increases of up to 20 basis points, indicating a competitive environment for customer deposits [11][14]. Group 3: Market Context and Challenges - The banking sector is facing challenges due to declining deposit rates, with significant amounts of term deposits maturing in 2026, leading to increased competition for retaining these funds [12][13]. - The total amount of term deposits maturing this year is estimated at 67 trillion yuan, with a notable portion maturing in the first quarter, creating pressure on banks to retain customers [12][13]. - Banks are increasingly focusing on enhancing their middle-income strategies and wealth management capabilities to counteract the challenges posed by smaller banks and changing customer preferences [13].