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].

Core Viewpoint - The banking industry has initiated a new round of "asset enhancement battles" in the retail sector, with some banks offering rewards exceeding 3,000 yuan. Retail AUM (Assets Under Management) is now seen as a key indicator of a bank's competitive strength and future profitability. The phenomenon of customers frequently switching banks for short-term incentives indicates that short-term activities fail to create long-term customer loyalty. To effectively enhance retail AUM, banks need to abandon short-term thinking and focus on building comprehensive capabilities centered around professional services and long-term trust [1][23][41]. Group 1: Asset Enhancement Activities - Multiple banks have launched new "asset enhancement activities" at the beginning of the year, allowing customers to earn points and benefits by meeting certain criteria. This includes major state-owned banks like ICBC, ABC, BOC, and CCB, with rewards such as 240,000 "small beans" convertible to over 3,790 yuan in JD E-cards for qualifying customers [2][24]. - Agricultural Bank of China has announced that from January 1 to January 31, customers can earn up to 600 million exclusive points if their average financial assets increase by 10,000 yuan or more [5][27]. - Nanjing Bank and other city commercial banks have also introduced similar activities, with Nanjing Bank offering 1,000 comprehensive points for every 10,000 yuan increase in average financial assets, with a maximum of 80,000 points per month [6][28]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Challenges - The current "asset enhancement battle" reflects a tactical "New Year rush" and a strategic shift in the banking sector, driven by the need to adapt to changing interest rate environments. Retail AUM has become a critical measure of a bank's competitive edge and future profitability [9][31]. - The phenomenon of customers switching banks for incentives highlights two major challenges: the superficial nature of customer relationships ("high flow, low retention") and the lack of differentiation in service offerings, which makes it difficult to establish long-term trust [17][39]. - The "sheep shearing" phenomenon, where customers exploit short-term incentives, indicates a lack of customer loyalty and reveals weaknesses in banks' customer relationship management strategies [11][40]. Group 3: Recommendations for Improvement - To effectively enhance retail AUM, banks should shift from short-term activity thinking to a focus on professional services and long-term trust. This includes transitioning from product sales to asset allocation, integrating financial services with everyday life, and implementing refined customer segmentation and operations [19][41]. - Banks should strengthen their investment advisory capabilities to transition from merely selling products to providing comprehensive asset management solutions, thereby building a "moat" around their services [20][42]. - Digital transformation should evolve from being a mere outreach tool to empowering an ecosystem that enhances customer engagement and retention, creating a complete service loop that turns short-term activity flows into long-term customer relationships [21][43].