Digital Renminbi will start accruing interest in 2026

Written by: Martin

December 29, - Vice President of the People’s Bank of China, Lu Lei, publicly announced that the “Action Plan for Further Strengthening the Digital Renminbi Management Service System and Related Financial Infrastructure Construction” will be officially implemented on January 1, 2026. The Digital Renminbi will transition from “Digital Cash” to the 2.0 era of “Digital Deposits.” The core highlight of this transformation is that the balance of real-name digital renminbi wallets will start earning interest, bringing tangible benefits to users.

According to the deployment of the “Action Plan,” banking institutions will accrue interest on the balances of first, second, and third-class real-name digital renminbi wallets. The interest rate will follow the bank’s current deposit rate, with no additional action required from users, and the payment experience will remain unaffected. Anonymous fourth-class wallets, which can be opened with just a mobile phone number, will still retain small-amount payment functions, but their balances will not accrue interest for now, balancing convenience and compliance requirements.

This upgrade also clarifies operational standards: digital renminbi managed by banking institutions will be included in the reserve requirement system, with wallet balances counted toward the deposit reserve base, which is secured with the same safety as deposit insurance. Non-bank payment institutions will be required to maintain 100% guarantee deposits, further strengthening the security of funds.

Lu Lei emphasized that the interest-earning capability of accounts is a key factor in motivating users and institutions, and a crucial aspect of monetary innovation. This adjustment not only makes digital renminbi both convenient for payments and capable of value appreciation, but also allows idle funds to achieve “Payment + Earnings” dual benefits. It will also promote the implementation of more financial service scenarios, injecting new momentum into the development of the digital economy.