China Brief
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EconomyPeople's Daily Online (人民网)

China's central bank adds 8 new operators for digital yuan service

央行新增8家数字人民币业务运营机构

The People's Bank of China announced on August 17, 2026, that eight additional banks will serve as operating institutions for the digital yuan (e‑CNY). The banks—Ping An Bank, Hengfeng Bank, Bohai Bank, Bank of Shanghai, Bank of Hangzhou, Huishang Bank, Bank of Changsha, and Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank—will connect to the central bank's digital currency system and begin operations after completing technical preparations. The expansion brings the total number of digital yuan operators to 30, a move the central bank says aims to make the service more inclusive and responsive to public demand for safe, convenient, and efficient digital payments.

The view from inside

The piece frames the expansion through a domestic developmental lens. The People's Bank of China is portrayed as methodically broadening access to digital yuan services in order to ‘further enhance inclusiveness’…

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