In 2026, China’s financial sector will usher in another major change.
The new version of the RMB cross-border payment system business rules will be officially implemented on February 1. This measure aims to further improve the participant management mechanism and improve the operational efficiency and management level of the RMB cross-border payment system.
At the same time, the “Regulations on RMB Cash Collection and Services” will also be implemented simultaneously to clarify the cash collection and payment obligations of various business entities and maintain the legal currency status of RMB.
At the payment and settlement work conference held in January 2026, the goal of accelerating the construction of the RMB cross-border payment system, promoting cross-border payment interconnection, and building a diversified and multi-level cross-border payment pattern was proposed.
The market has paid great attention to the implementation of this rule, and it has a significant role in promoting the standardization and standardization of cross-border payment services.
Coupled with the continuous expansion of cross-border application scenarios for digital renminbi, such as the continued advancement of the multilateral central bank digital currency bridge project and the steady growth of local cross-border renminbi receipts and payments, a more complete operating framework will be built for cross-border payment business and help deepen the use of renminbi in cross-border trade and investment.
From the perspective of the financial IT industry, with the implementation of RMB cross-border payment system rules and the upgrade of digital RMB, banking institutions are faced with the need to transform and upgrade existing core business systems, accounting processing systems, and data governance systems.
This is because it needs to adapt to the new requirements of cross-border payment business and comply with the relevant mechanisms of Digital RMB 2.0.
Financial IT companies can rely on their own technical capabilities to undertake related system transformation and platform construction orders, and deeply participate in the digital upgrade of cross-border payment infrastructure.
Soochow Securities mentioned in the computer industry review report that the digital renminbi has been upgraded to “deposit currency 2.0” and banks need to transform core systems, accounting systems and other systems. This has brought an increase in the construction of bank IT and digital currency platforms to financial IT companies.
The cross-border payment service industry will also usher in new development opportunities.
The improvement of business rules will further standardize the cross-border payment service process and reduce compliance risks.
At the same time, the combination of digital RMB and cross-border payment systems will simplify cross-border payment intermediate links, improve payment efficiency, and reduce transaction costs.
This helps payment service companies expand cross-border business scenarios and provide domestic and foreign customers with more convenient cross-border payment solutions.
Sinolink Securities pointed out that the implementation of the business rules of the RMB cross-border payment system and the combination with the digital RMB will show effectiveness in the field of cross-border settlement. The current work focus is on overcoming basic bottlenecks such as mutual recognition of cross-border messages.
As a core participant in the RMB cross-border payment system, the banking industry can rely on the system with improved rules to carry out more diversified cross-border RMB businesses.
For example, it will expand trade settlement cooperation with countries participating in the “Belt and Road” initiative, and at the same time take advantage of the opportunity of the digital renminbi upgrade to optimize account management and customer services, improve cross-border financial service capabilities, and deepen business cooperation with peers in neighboring countries.
In terms of industrial chain companies, China Guangfa Bank successfully completed the first cross-border remittance business under the multilateral central bank digital currency bridge under the agency model. It closely followed the national financial opening policy, enriched the CIPS product line, optimized the global agency bank network, achieved business breakthroughs in the field of digital RMB cross-border payment, and provided efficient financial services to cross-border trade customers.
Nantian Information is deeply involved in the financial IT field and participates in the construction and services of digital renminbi related systems. It has the ability to provide technical services such as cross-border payment system transformation and digital renminbi wallet construction for banking institutions, helping financial institutions adapt to new cross-border payment rules and digital renminbi upgrade requirements.
As a payment service company, Lakala has cross-border payment business qualifications. It can rely on the RMB cross-border payment system to expand cross-border acquiring, remittance and other businesses. At the same time, it can adapt to digital RMB payment scenarios and provide domestic and foreign merchants and individuals with diversified cross-border payment service options.
To sum up, the implementation of new regulations on RMB cross-border payments and the upgrade of digital RMB will bring unprecedented development opportunities to China’s financial and payment industries. Related industry chain companies will also continue to innovate and expand their businesses in this wave.
