Core Viewpoint - The "foreign capital + assistive lending" niche market is emerging as foreign banks in China begin to disclose their internet loan cooperation lists, indicating a strategic shift towards consumer lending in response to performance pressures and branch closures [1][2]. Group 1: Foreign Banks' Cooperation - Six foreign banks, including Fubon Bank and Hana Bank, have disclosed their internet loan cooperation partners, with Fubon Bank leading with 52 partners [2][3]. - The cooperation partners are primarily concentrated among major platforms such as Ant Group, JD.com, and ByteDance, as well as various private banks and licensed consumer finance companies [1][3]. Group 2: Market Challenges - Foreign banks are facing dual challenges of performance pressure and branch network contraction, with over 30 branches closing since early 2025 and many banks experiencing a net decrease in loan volumes [1][8]. - For instance, Hana Bank's loan balance decreased from 30.8 billion yuan in 2023 to 28.6 billion yuan in 2024, while its loan loss provisions increased significantly [8]. Group 3: Regulatory Environment - The upcoming implementation of the "Assistive Lending New Regulations" in October 2023 mandates banks to manage cooperation partners through a "whitelist," benefiting major institutions while squeezing out smaller platforms [5][9]. - The new regulations require banks to include all fees, including guarantee service fees, in the comprehensive financing cost, tightening funding exposure for foreign banks [10]. Group 4: Strategic Shift - Foreign banks are actively expanding into consumer finance to overcome retail customer acquisition challenges, leveraging partnerships with major platforms to access large user bases [9]. - Current cooperation models include pure assistive lending, joint loan models, and guarantee enhancement models, with varying levels of involvement from foreign banks [9].