Number of banks in China 2009-2023
Domestic banks in China
Domestic commercial banks in China can be categorized according to ownership and regional distribution in state-owned commercial banks, nationwide incorporated commercial banks, city and regional commercial banks and rural commercial banks. The state-owned commercial banks are also among China’s largest public companies. Besides the commercial banks, there are three “policy” banks in China which play an essential role in financing state-invested projects.
Foreign banks in China
Foreign banks are allowed to incorporate locally in Mainland China and start certain operations after the approval of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. In comparison, foreign banks face less strict regulations and are able to conduct a larger spectrum of business activities in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao.