Download → Payment System Report (2022).pdf

According to payment statistics in 2022 1 , the payment systems functioned smoothly across the country. Statistics including the number of bank accounts, the volume of non-cash payments and the transaction volume in payment systems maintained growth in general.

I. Bank Accounts

The number of bank accounts edged up. As of end-2022, a total of 14.167 billion bank accounts 2 had been opened nationwide, increasing by 3.68 percent year on year (y-o-y). 

The number of bank accounts opened by institutions increased. At end-2022, bank accounts opened by institutions nationwide registered 92.4626 million, increasing by 10.91 percent y-o-y, down 0.53 percentage points from end-2021. Specifically, 65.1284 million were basic deposit accounts, 22.3858 million were general deposit accounts, 4.7507 million were special deposit accounts, and 197,600 were temporary deposit accounts, increasing by 9.77 percent, 14.87 percent, 8.87 percent and 4.69 percent y-o-y, respectively. They account for 70.44 percent, 24.21 percent, 5.14 percent and 0.21 percent, respectively, of the total number of bank accounts held by institutions.

The growth of individual bank accounts slowed down. At end-2022, bank accounts opened by individuals totaled 14.074 billion nationwide, increasing by 3.64 percent y-o-y.

II. Non-cash Payment Instruments

In 2022, a total of 462.649 billion non-cash payment transactions 3 with an amount of RMB4805.77 trillion were processed by banks across the country, increasing by 5.27 percent and 8.84 percent y-o-y, respectively.

(I) Bank Cards

The number of bank cards edged up. At end-2022, the number of bankcards opened increased by 2.50 percent y-o-y to 9.478 billion nationwide. Specifically, debit cards rose 2.76 percent y-o-y to 8.680 billion; credit cards and debit-credit integrated cards dropped by 0.28 percent y-o-y to 798 million. The number of bankcards per capita 4 reached 6.71, among which the per capita number of credit cards and debit-credit integrated cards recorded 0.57.

The number of merchants connected to the UnionPay inter-bank payment system and terminals connected to the system decreased. At end-2022, merchants connected to the UnionPay inter-bank payment system (UnionPay system), POS 5 terminals connected to the UnionPay system, and ATM6 terminals recorded 27.2285 million, 35.5607 million and 895,900, down 754,300, 3.3754 million and 51,900 from end-2021, respectively. The number of POS terminals connected to the UnionPay system per 10,000 persons recorded 251.89, decreasing by 8.61 percent y-o-y, and the number of ATMs per 10,000 persons recorded 6.35, decreasing by 5.42 percent  y-o-y.

Bankcard transactions edged up. In 2022, a total of 451.945 billion bankcard transactions 7 with an amount of RMB1011.94 trillion were processed across the country, increasing by 5.34 percent and 0.98 percent y-o-y, respectively. Specifically, cash deposits recorded 4.538 billion, or RMB33.50 trillion, decreasing by 10.09 percent and 12.79 percent y-o-y, respectively; cash withdrawals recorded 6.508 billion, or RMB32.97 trillion, decreasing by 13.87 percent and 11.99 percent y-o-y, respectively; transfers recorded 189.554 billion, or RMB815.33 trillion, increasing by 2.68 percent and 3.17 percent y-o-y, respectively; and consumer payments recorded 251.344 billion, or RMB130.15 trillion, with the former increasing by 8.42 percent y-o-y and the latter decreasing by 4.28 percent y-o-y, respectively. The consumer payment per bankcard registered RMB13,700 and that per transaction recorded RMB517.80.

The total bankcard credit line increased. At end-2022, the total bankcard credit line 8 increased by 5.34 percent from end-2021 to RMB22.14 trillion. The outstanding balance of bankcard credit marked RMB8.69 trillion, increasing by 0.85 percent y-o-y. The credit line per bankcard was RMB27,800, with the credit utilization rate 9 standing at 39.25 percent. The credit card payment overdue by half a year or more 10 totaled RMB86.580 billion, accounting for 1.00 percent of the total outstanding balance.