PBC Reports Robust Growth in Green, Sci-Tech and Inclusive Loans in Q1 2026

The People’s Bank of China (PBC) released its Statistical Report on Financial Institutions’ Loan Directions in the first quarter of 2026, showing that China’s loan structure continued to optimize, with strong growth momentum in green loans, sci-tech enterprise loans and inclusive micro and small loans, effectively supporting high-quality economic development. The report fully reflects the PBC’s precise guidance on credit resources, injecting strong impetus into key areas and weak links of the economy.

Zhongxin Jingwei reports that by the end of the first quarter, the balance of local and foreign currency green loans in China reached 48.1 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.6%, with an increase of 3.29 trillion yuan in the first quarter. Green loans have maintained double-digit growth for many consecutive quarters, becoming an important support for China’s green and low-carbon transformation.

In terms of usage, the balance of green loans for infrastructure green upgrading, green low-carbon transformation of energy and ecological protection and restoration stood at 21.53 trillion yuan, 8.74 trillion yuan and 5.4 trillion yuan respectively. By industry, the balance of green loans in the production and supply of electricity, heat, gas and water reached 9.25 trillion yuan, increasing by 298.8 billion yuan in the first quarter; the balance of green loans in the transportation, storage and postal industries was 8.9 trillion yuan, with an increase of 599.1 billion yuan in the first quarter.

The first quarter also saw strong policy support for sci-tech enterprises. By the end of the quarter, 303,300 technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises had received loan support, with a loan availability rate of 50.4%, 0.2 percentage points higher than the end of last year. The balance of local and foreign currency loans to technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises reached 4.03 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 20.9%, 1.1 percentage points higher than the end of last year.

China Financial News notes that over the same period, 294,600 high-tech enterprises obtained loan support, with a loan availability rate of 58.6%, 1.3 percentage points higher than the end of last year. The balance of local and foreign currency loans to high-tech enterprises was 20.96 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 13.6%, 6.1 percentage points higher than the end of last year, reflecting the continuous increase in financial support for high-tech innovation.

Inclusive finance continued to exert its strength to benefit people’s livelihood. By the end of the first quarter, the balance of RMB inclusive micro and small loans reached 38.38 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.3%, 4.6 percentage points higher than the growth rate of all loans, with an increase of 1.8 trillion yuan in the first quarter. The balance of farmers’ operating loans with a single household credit line of less than 5 million yuan was 10.22 trillion yuan, increasing by 413.5 billion yuan in the first quarter.

The balance of student loans reached 362.2 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 32.6%, effectively supporting the education of students from poor families. Wang Jun, director of the PBC’s Credit Management Department, said in an interview that the PBC will continue to optimize the credit structure, guide more financial resources to flow into key areas such as green development, sci-tech innovation and inclusive finance, and provide solid financial support for China’s high-quality economic development.