China Launches Major Digital Yuan Policy Update: Interest-Bearing E-CNY Framework Effective January 2026

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Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Following Russia, China Also Makes a Move in the Cryptocurrency Market! Here Are the Details Original Link: China is implementing a significant policy change to boost the use of the digital yuan (e-CNY). The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced that commercial banks will soon begin paying interest on digital yuan balances.

According to PBOC Vice Governor Lu Lei, the new framework will come into effect on January 1, 2026. While e-CNY has functioned as “digital cash” until now, the new system will position it as “digital deposit money.” This transformation is seen as the most comprehensive step taken after nearly a decade of pilot studies.

Under the new regulations, balances held in verified digital yuan wallets will earn interest in line with existing deposit interest agreements. Furthermore, the digital yuan will be protected under China’s deposit insurance system at the same level as traditional deposits.

Banks will also be given more flexibility in using digital yuan balances in balance sheet and liquidity management. For non-bank payment institutions, e-CNY reserves will be subject to the same rules as existing customer funds, with a 100% reserve requirement.

By the end of November 2025, a total of 3.48 billion digital yuan transactions had been conducted in China, reaching a transaction volume of 16.7 trillion yuan (approximately $2.38 trillion). However, e-CNY is struggling to compete with widely used mobile payment platforms such as WeChat Pay and Alipay.

Recently, China has been aiming to increase the cross-border use of the digital yuan. Pilot projects with Singapore and collaborations with Hong Kong, Thailand, and the UAE are on the agenda. While China supports blockchain technology, it continues to maintain restrictions on certain cryptocurrency activities in the country.

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GateUser-74b10196vip
· 5h ago
Come on, the central bank is taking action again? Is this time to make the digital yuan truly come to life? Once the interest framework is out, it feels like the game rules are about to change.
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CoffeeNFTradervip
· 5h ago
Cryptocurrency is coming up with new tricks again; the central bank's move is quite interesting.
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zkNoobvip
· 6h ago
Oh wow, the central bank is serious this time? Can we still earn interest in 2026? Seems like something's going on...
View OriginalReply0
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