Core Insights - The banking industry is witnessing a decline in previously popular digital banking services, such as direct banks and credit card apps, which were once seen as innovative solutions in the "internet ecosystem" era [1][3][4] - The shift from internet-based services to AI-driven solutions is becoming evident, with banks now focusing on integrating AI technologies into their operations [8][11] Group 1: Decline of Digital Banking Services - Many banks are shutting down or merging their direct banking services and credit card apps, indicating a significant shift in strategy [3][4] - The direct banking model, initially aimed at creating a fully online banking experience, has struggled to differentiate itself and has often been seen as ineffective [4][5] - The performance of direct banks has been poor, with examples like "邮惠万家" losing over 800 million in three years, highlighting the challenges faced by these services [4] Group 2: Transition to AI - The banking sector is now transitioning from an internet focus to embracing AI technologies, with hopes of improving customer service and operational efficiency [8][11] - Despite the enthusiasm for AI, many banks still struggle with basic app functionality, indicating a gap in meeting user needs [9][11] - The application of AI in banking is still in its early stages, and while it has potential benefits, there are concerns about user experience and the effectiveness of AI-driven customer service [11][12] Group 3: User-Centric Innovation - The success of banking innovations hinges on understanding and addressing user needs rather than merely adopting industry trends [7][11] - The decline in user engagement with banking apps suggests that banks must prioritize improving user experience to remain relevant [6][7]

Core Insights - The article discusses the trend of banks merging multiple apps to streamline operations amid rising competition and high customer acquisition costs, with Bank of China (BOC) announcing the shutdown of its "Bountiful Life" app and migrating its functions to the main "Bank of China" app, marking the end of a 12-year service [1][4] - The credit card apps have historically served dual purposes: connecting online and offline channels for customer acquisition and creating digital profiles for targeted financial services, but the profitability of standalone credit card apps is declining [2][10] Industry Trends - Several banks, including Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank and Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, have closed their credit card apps, shifting functionalities to their main banking apps due to the shrinking credit card business and the need for cost efficiency [4][16] - The credit card business is facing significant challenges, including a drop in loan volumes and increased competition from other financial services, leading to a focus on customer retention rather than acquisition [10][13] User Engagement - User engagement with banking apps is declining, with average daily usage time dropping from 4.93 minutes to 2.70 minutes, indicating a saturation in mobile banking app traffic and a need for improved user experience [9][6] - The competition for user attention is intensifying, with lifestyle apps from companies like Meituan and Douyin entering the market, making it harder for credit card apps to attract new users [15][19] Financial Performance - Data shows that major banks are experiencing a decline in credit card loan volumes, with Bank of China reporting a 13.89% decrease year-over-year, highlighting the overall downturn in the credit card sector [5][16] - The credit card market is transitioning from a growth phase to a more mature stage, with banks needing to adapt their strategies to meet the evolving demands of younger consumers who prefer integrated financial services [17][19] Strategic Recommendations - Banks are encouraged to enhance the synergy between online and offline channels and focus on creating differentiated digital paths that align with their unique characteristics, rather than pursuing a one-size-fits-all approach [23][24] - Implementing advanced data analytics and AI-driven models could help banks better understand customer needs and improve service delivery, ultimately enhancing user experience and operational efficiency [21][22]

Core Viewpoint - The migration of the "Bountiful Life" App to the "Bank of China" App reflects a strategic adjustment by banks in response to the declining profitability and operational costs associated with credit card apps, indicating a broader trend in the banking industry as credit card business contributions diminish [1][4]. Group 1: Credit Card App Migration - The "Bountiful Life" App will gradually migrate all functions to the "Bank of China" App, after which it will cease downloads and services [1]. - This migration is part of a trend where banks are optimizing their credit card app operations due to rising costs and declining profitability [1][4]. Group 2: Industry Trends and Challenges - The credit card industry is experiencing a downturn, with transaction volumes and active usage declining due to economic factors and changing consumer behavior [2][3]. - As of Q2 2024, the total number of credit cards and loans has decreased by 6 million from the previous quarter, marking an 11.4% decline from the peak in mid-2022 [3]. - The average credit card usage rate has also dropped, with a current utilization rate of 38.03% [3]. Group 3: Operational Efficiency and Cost Management - Maintaining independent credit card apps has become less cost-effective for banks, leading to a reduction in the number of such apps [4][5]. - The operational burden of multiple apps, including development and maintenance costs, is prompting banks to consolidate their services [4]. - A total of 52 credit card centers have been approved for closure this year, with significant reductions noted at major banks like the Bank of Communications [6]. Group 4: Future Directions - The credit card business is expected to integrate more deeply with other retail banking services, moving towards a digital marketing approach rather than traditional methods [6]. - Banks are shifting focus from merely increasing card issuance to enhancing customer value through precise marketing and sustainable service offerings [6].

Core Viewpoint - Several medium and large banks in China are shutting down their independent mobile apps, indicating a shift towards consolidating services within fewer applications to enhance user experience and operational efficiency [1][5]. Group 1: Bank App Shutdowns - China Bank announced the discontinuation of its credit card app "Binfeng Life," with all functionalities migrating to the "China Bank" app [2]. - Beijing Bank stated that its direct banking app and website will cease operations on November 12, 2025, with services moving to the "Jingcai Life" mobile banking app [3]. - Over the past year, more than ten banks, including Postal Savings Bank and Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, have closed various mobile apps, primarily credit card and direct banking apps [5]. Group 2: Reasons for App Closures - The proliferation of independent banking apps was driven by competition for customer acquisition in the mobile internet era, leading to a situation where banks developed multiple apps [6]. - The existence of overlapping functionalities between direct banking and mobile banking apps has resulted in resource duplication and increased operational costs, negatively impacting user experience [7]. - Regulatory bodies have mandated banks to eliminate low-activity and high-risk apps, emphasizing the need for regular evaluation and optimization of mobile applications [8]. Group 3: User Engagement and Profitability Issues - Financial apps generally lack strong social attributes, leading to low monthly active user rates; for instance, the monthly active users of China Merchants Bank's credit card app dropped from 41.98 million at the end of 2023 to 39.08 million by mid-2024 [10]. - Many banks are integrating credit card and direct banking app functionalities into their main mobile banking apps to enhance efficiency and user experience [10]. - The direct banking model has faced challenges, including continuous losses, as exemplified by Postal Savings Bank's direct banking unit, which has struggled to meet market demands for comprehensive financial services [15][16].

Core Viewpoint - The recent shutdown of credit card apps, particularly by major state-owned banks like Bank of China, reflects a broader trend in the banking industry towards consolidating digital services and reducing operational costs amid a shrinking credit card business [1][5][16]. Group 1: Credit Card App Shutdowns - Bank of China announced the gradual shutdown of its "Bountiful Life" app, migrating its functions to the main "Bank of China" app, which has drawn market attention [1][4]. - Several banks, including Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank and Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, have previously shut down their credit card apps, indicating a trend towards integrating these services into existing banking apps [5][6]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and User Engagement - The credit card app market is experiencing significant differentiation, with major state-owned banks and some joint-stock banks dominating user engagement metrics [7][8]. - As of June 2025, the top credit card apps by monthly active users include those from major banks, with Bank of China's "Bountiful Life" app ranking 13th with 1.5454 million active users, significantly lower than leading apps [7][8]. Group 3: Credit Card Loan Performance - State-owned banks maintain a strong position in credit card loan volumes, with China Construction Bank reporting a credit card loan scale of 1.0549 trillion yuan, the only bank exceeding 1 trillion yuan [9][10]. - Joint-stock banks also show robust performance, with China Merchants Bank's credit card loan balance reaching 924.49 billion yuan, accounting for 12.99% of its total loans [9][10]. Group 4: Digital Transformation and App Management - The closure of independent credit card apps is part of a broader strategy for centralized management of banking applications, as mandated by regulatory authorities to optimize user experience and reduce redundancy [16][17]. - Banks are increasingly focusing on comprehensive apps that integrate various financial services, moving away from multiple standalone apps to enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement [17].

Core Viewpoint - The recent decision by China Bank to shut down its "Bountiful Life" app and migrate its functions to the main "China Bank" app reflects a broader trend among banks to consolidate credit card applications due to increasing operational costs and profitability pressures in the credit card business [1][5][6]. Summary by Sections App Shutdown and Migration - China Bank announced the migration of all functions from the "Bountiful Life" app to the "China Bank" app, with the shutdown of the former expected to follow [1][3]. - The "Bountiful Life" app, which primarily served credit card functions, will cease to be available for download and registration after the migration is complete [1][3]. Industry Trends - The trend of consolidating credit card apps is not limited to China Bank; several other banks, including regional and joint-stock banks, have previously shut down their independent credit card apps, moving functionalities to their main banking apps [5][6]. - The Financial Regulatory Authority of China has emphasized the need for financial institutions to optimize or terminate low-activity and redundant mobile applications [3]. User Engagement and App Performance - The "Bountiful Life" app had a monthly active user count of 1.5454 million, ranking 13th among credit card apps, significantly lower than the top five apps, which each had over 10 million active users [3][4]. - The top five credit card apps by active users are: 1. "Palm Life" with 48.9945 million 2. "Pu Da Xi Ben" with 26.9210 million 3. "Buy Now" with 18.5290 million 4. "Sunshine Benefits" with 14.9554 million 5. "Dynamic Card Space" with 14.7435 million [4]. Cost Efficiency and Strategic Shift - The current wave of app consolidation is driven by the need for cost reduction and efficiency improvements, contrasting with earlier strategies that focused on leveraging high user engagement from independent credit card apps to boost overall retail banking growth [6]. - The profitability pressures in the credit card sector, exacerbated by low interest rates and risk exposure, have made maintaining separate apps economically unfeasible for many banks [6].

Core Insights - The digital transformation of commercial banks is entering a new phase, with increasing competition in banking apps and challenges such as insufficient personalized recommendations and product service homogenization [1] - Major state-owned banks are solidifying their leading positions by implementing diversified platform strategies, focusing on credit card services to enhance digital life services [2] User Engagement and Market Dynamics - As of the first half of 2025, the mobile banking app market has transitioned to a saturated competition phase, with user growth plateauing and daily usage time decreasing from 4.93 minutes to 2.70 minutes [3][4] - The six major state-owned banks maintain a dominant position in mobile banking user engagement, with Agricultural Bank of China leading with 238 million monthly active users (MAU), a 4.8% year-on-year increase [4][5] Operational Strategies - State-owned banks are shifting from functional apps to ecosystem platforms, integrating financial services into high-frequency life scenarios to maintain user engagement [5][6] - The average MAU for major banks shows a decline in user activity for joint-stock banks, with China Merchants Bank experiencing a 1.2% decrease in MAU [6][7] Challenges for Joint-Stock Banks - Joint-stock banks face challenges from state-owned banks' market penetration and local banks' enhanced services, leading to a squeeze in their middle market [7][8] - The homogenization of financial products and changing user behaviors, with services increasingly embedded in third-party platforms like Alipay and WeChat, are impacting the usage of standalone banking apps [7][10] Future Directions - The evolution of banking apps towards comprehensive financial "super apps" is essential, expanding beyond financial transactions to cover various user needs [10][12] - The integration of AI technologies is crucial for enhancing user experience and operational efficiency, with banks focusing on intelligent interaction, risk control, and personalized marketing [15][16] Conclusion - The management and marketing of mobile banking should adopt an internet mindset, focusing on market, user, traffic, and product thinking to enhance customer acquisition and operational efficiency [18]

Core Viewpoint - The digital transformation has become a strategic means for the banking industry to upgrade, accelerated by the pandemic, fundamentally changing business models and creating a new digital financial ecosystem [1] Group 1: Investment in Financial Technology - The investment in financial technology by banks has been increasing, with 22 listed banks in A-shares reporting a total IT investment of 168.1 billion yuan in 2021, a year-on-year increase of 22.93% [2] - Among these, six state-owned banks invested over 100 billion yuan, with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China leading at 25.99 billion yuan, and China Construction Bank investing 23.58 billion yuan [2] - China Merchants Bank reported an IT investment of 13.29 billion yuan, representing 4.37% of its operating income, with a 13.07% increase in R&D personnel [2] Group 2: Digital Transformation Trends - Major banks have established technology subsidiaries, and new technologies like big data and artificial intelligence are driving business restructuring [3] - The digital transformation encompasses various aspects, including business operations, customer management, risk management, and governance [4] - The essence of digital transformation is to enhance data utilization, requiring significant resources for data governance and integration [5] Group 3: Customer-Centric Digitalization - True digital transformation is customer-facing, enhancing customer experience even in areas traditionally outside banking [6] - The transformation impacts talent strategies, including recruitment and training mechanisms [6] Group 4: Challenges in Digital Transformation - The digitalization of banks is entering a critical phase, with large banks facing complex challenges while smaller banks need to change mindsets and attract talent [7] - Key challenges include data accessibility, financial service cost management, and potential negative externalities such as data privacy issues [8] - Understanding and serving customers effectively is crucial for banks during the digital transformation process [8]