Core Viewpoint - The recent announcements from Postal Savings Bank and other banks indicate a trend towards integrating credit card services into main banking apps, reflecting a broader digital transformation strategy in the banking industry [1][2]. Group 1: Company Actions - Postal Savings Bank announced adjustments to its credit card online services, integrating these functions into the "Postal Savings Bank App," leading to the discontinuation of the "Postal Credit Card App" [1]. - China Bank has also initiated the migration of credit card functions to the "China Bank App," with plans to cease the original app's services [1]. - Other banks, including Jiangxi Bank and Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, have similarly shut down or integrated their credit card apps into their main mobile banking platforms this year [1]. Group 2: Industry Trends - The National Financial Regulatory Administration issued a notice in September 2024, mandating financial institutions to optimize or terminate mobile applications with low user engagement, poor experience, redundant functions, or compliance risks [1]. - Professor Tian Lihui from Nankai University highlighted that the "slimming down" of bank apps is a necessary choice for the digital transformation of the banking industry, predicting that more banks will integrate credit card services into their main apps, creating a "main app + diversified lightweight touchpoints" matrix model [2]. - Consumers may need to adapt to new channels in the short term, but the long-term experience is expected to improve, providing a more integrated and seamless one-stop service [2].

Core Viewpoint - Postal Savings Bank of China is adjusting its credit card online channel services to integrate credit card functions into the "Postal Savings Bank App," discontinuing the "Postal Credit Card App" while ensuring that customer services remain unaffected [1][3]. Group 1: Company Actions - Postal Savings Bank announced the integration of credit card services into its main app, ceasing the use of the "Postal Credit Card App" [1]. - China Bank has also initiated a similar migration of credit card functions to the "China Bank App," with plans to stop the original app's download and registration [3]. - Other banks, including Jiangxi Bank and Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, have also closed or integrated their credit card apps into their main mobile banking platforms [5]. Group 2: Industry Trends - The integration of credit card services into main banking apps is part of a broader digital transformation strategy in the banking industry, driven by the need for efficiency and improved user experience [3][5]. - Financial institutions are responding to regulatory guidance to optimize or terminate underperforming mobile applications, which is leading to a trend of consolidating services into fewer apps [3]. - The shift towards a "main app + diversified lightweight touchpoints" model is expected to enhance user experience by reducing the need for multiple app logins and passwords [3].

Core Insights - A trend of "streamlining and integration" of credit card apps across state-owned banks, joint-stock banks, and regional banks is accelerating, with Postal Savings Bank being the latest to announce the integration of its credit card app into its main banking app [1][3] - This shift reflects a significant transformation in the banking industry's digital strategy, moving from "expansion" to "refinement," indicating a new phase of "reducing quantity while improving quality" in online credit card services [1][8] Group 1: Integration of Credit Card Apps - Postal Savings Bank will gradually stop updating its "Postal Credit Card App," migrating all functions to the "Postal Bank App," following China Bank's earlier move to close its independent credit card app [3][4] - The integration aims to enhance operational efficiency and user experience by consolidating resources and focusing on the main app ecosystem [5][6] - The trend of integrating independent credit card apps is not limited to large banks; smaller banks like Beijing Rural Commercial Bank and Jiangxi Bank have also closed their credit card apps, merging services into their mobile banking platforms [7][8] Group 2: Industry Context and Drivers - The rise of independent credit card apps began around 2015, aiming to create a "financial + lifestyle" ecosystem, but as competition intensified, these apps became burdensome due to overlapping functionalities and low user engagement [6][10] - Regulatory pressures and the need for cost reduction are driving banks to optimize or terminate underperforming mobile applications, as highlighted by the recent guidelines from the National Financial Regulatory Administration [7][9] - The future of credit card services is expected to evolve into a "main app + diversified lightweight touchpoints" model, where the main app serves as a comprehensive platform while maintaining personalized services through various channels [9][10]