Every fortnight we compile a list of important news updates and events covering the Chinese FINTECH, MFGTECH, CLNTECH, and AGRTECH sectors.

FINTECH Roundup

Asian Fintech Firm Ant Financial Ranked China’s Fifth Most Valuable Private Company, via crowdfund insider.
Ant Financial, a subsidiary of e-commerce giant Alibaba, is the leading firm in the financial technology industry and the fifth largest in a ranking of all companies across all sectors.

ZA Bank Ltd., first of Hong Kong’s Upcoming Digital Banks, to Offer Huge 6% Special Rate on All Deposits, via crowdfund insider.
ZA Bank, which is jointly invested by Zhongan online, the largest internet insurance company in mainland China, and Blackstar group, is the first virtual bank in Hong Kong and to start trial operation last month.

Alibaba is getting serious about becoming a challenger bank , via Forum On China-Africa Cooperation.
Ant Financial secured a virtual banking license in Hong Kong, and is currently focused on getting a virtual banking license in Singapore.

China Focus: China’s central bank outlines policy priorities for 2020, via xinhuanet.
China’s central bank mapped out key policies and tasks for 2020 during an annual work conference held in Beijing.

State In­for­ma­tion Cen­ter to Of­fi­cially Launch Blockchain-based Ser­vice Net­work in April with China Mo­bile, China Union­Pay, via China Banking News.
China’s State Information Center has unveiled plans to officially launch its Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) in April with China Mobile, China UnionPay.

China to Launch New Reg­u­la­tions for Open API’s, Open Bank­ing, via China Banking News .
China plans to launch new regulations and policies for the open banking sector and open application programming interfaces (API).

JD, Baidu, other Chinese tech giants reportedly eye Hong Kong listings, via techinasia.
The Chinese tech giants could raise up to US$15 billion, according to sources, following Alibaba’s successful Hong Kong market debut.