GRCB (formerly known as Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank) has reported strong growth in its technology finance segment, according to its mid-year performance report for 2026. As of the end of the reporting period, the bank's corporate loan scale maintained its sixth-place ranking among peers in Guangzhou, with technology loan balances reaching RMB 74.25 billion, marking a 10.7% increase from the beginning of the year. The bank has served a cumulative total of 3,788 technology finance clients, while loans to specialized and innovative (known as "little giant") enterprises stood at RMB 19.61 billion, with the number of such corporate clients growing by 15.8% year-to-date.

These impressive figures reflect the bank's commitment to its role as a municipal legal-person bank rooted locally, aligning with Guangzhou's modernization of its industrial system. By continuously refining a full-lifecycle financial service framework for technology enterprises, the bank is channeling precisely targeted financial resources to help Guangzhou build a science and innovation hub and energize its innovative development drive.

Building a Full-Cycle Sci-Tech Service Ecosystem Centered on Mutual Growth

Since Guangzhou launched the "Benefiting Enterprises, Mutual Growth Plan" in 2025, GRCB has positioned itself as the "lead bank," moving beyond the one-dimensional approach of traditional lending. Following the growth trajectory of sci-tech enterprises—from start-up incubation and expansion to maturity—the bank has crafted highly adaptable financial service solutions. To tackle the common financing pain points of these businesses, such as asset-light operations, heavy R&D investment, and lengthy return cycles, the bank has broken away from conventional credit assessment that emphasizes collateral and financial statements. It has established a dedicated evaluation system that prioritizes technological innovation while treating financial indicators as secondary, and has innovatively incorporated R&D spending into the eligibility criteria and quota determination for credit loans. This has fostered a positive cycle of "R&D-driven credit enhancement, quota expansion, and reinvestment into R&D."

At present, the bank has rolled out a full suite of dedicated credit products covering the entire corporate lifecycle, with increased investment in first-time loans and credit-only lending. To complement this, it has set up a dedicated tech-finance review team and deployed an intelligent risk-control system, enabling approval of loans up to RMB 10 million within three working days and those up to RMB 50 million within five working days—accelerating approval efficiency to keep pace with the fast-moving needs of sci-tech enterprises. Building on this foundation, the bank has forged a six-in-one linkage matrix encompassing loans, equity investment, guarantees, insurance, and leasing, working alongside equity investors, guarantors, insurers, and leasing firms. This is further reinforced by proprietary FTP subsidies of up to 60 basis points and differentiated pricing authority, all aimed at trimming overall corporate financing costs across multiple dimensions.

To date, GRCB has engaged with over 150 industrial parks and business associations, hosted more than 140 thematic financing matchmaking events, and entered into medium-to-long-term strategic partnerships under the plan with over 800 companies. The scope of authorized credit exceeds RMB 24 billion, with precise coverage of key emerging sectors such as biomedicine, information technology, low-altitude economy, and artificial intelligence. These efforts have supported enterprises through crucial stages of technological breakthroughs, production line upgrades, and market expansion.

Strengthening Specialized Service Networks for Professional Sci-Tech Support

Precise service delivery requires robust physical infrastructure and professional mechanisms. GRCB has focused on building specialized institutions, creating a multi-layered sci-tech service network that combines core leadership from a dedicated tech-focused sub-branch with broad outreach across benchmark outlets, extending its service reach to the frontline of the sci-tech industry. The bank has upgraded its former Luogang sub-branch into the Huangpu Tech Sub-branch, a distinctive outlet specializing in sci-tech enterprises, concentrating premium resources to serve regional sci-tech industry clusters. At the same time, aligned with the citywide requirements for cultivating outlets under the "Benefiting Enterprises, Mutual Growth Plan," the bank has handpicked grassroots outlets in areas with high industrial concentration and rich sci-tech client bases to establish ten benchmark outlets, forming a service layout where core hubs drive comprehensive coverage.

Supporting these specialized institutions is a package of differentiated institutional arrangements designed to spark internal momentum for sci-tech services. In risk management, the bank has refined its due-diligence exemption and negative list systems, set separate non-performing loan assessment targets for tech enterprises, and appropriately raised risk tolerance to foster a climate where staff are willing and confident to lend. In talent development, it has assembled professional service teams, preferentially selecting full-time staff with backgrounds in science and engineering or experience in the tech industry to ensure accurate understanding and swift responses to the needs of sci-tech enterprises. In comprehensive services, the bank collaborates with venture capital firms, industrial parks, and technology transfer centers to integrate value-added services such as policy application guidance and supply chain connections, moving beyond mere lending to truly act as a "full-cycle partner" for enterprise growth.

So far, GRCB has connected with and served more than 2,000 tech enterprises in its jurisdiction, effectively addressing the persistent industry pain points of asset-light operations, lack of collateral, and high financing costs, while driving the agglomeration and upgrading of regional sci-tech industries. Looking ahead, the bank will continue to deepen its specialized tech-finance construction, iterate its full-lifecycle service system, and channel financial resources with precision to the cutting edge of technological innovation, contributing greater financial strength to Guangzhou's efforts in cultivating new quality productive forces and building a modern industrial system.