China Advances Renminbi Internationalization with Quadrupled Overseas Assets

• Overseas RMB assets surge: Fixed-income holdings by foreign banks reached $1.5 trillion, with RMB-denominated assets at $484 billion.

• RMB trade finance share grows to 7.6%, second only to the dollar, driven by China’s offshore clearing banks and swap lines.

• CIPS payments exceed RMB40 trillion quarterly, signaling a shift from Western systems; however, RMB holds just 2.1% of global reserves per IMF data.

Discover how China’s RMB internationalization strategy challenges dollar dominance with surging overseas assets and trade settlements. Explore impacts on global finance and investment opportunities today.

What is China’s Strategy for Renminbi Internationalization?

China’s renminbi internationalization involves a deliberate, long-term effort by central planners to integrate the RMB into global trade, finance, and reserves, reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar. This strategy includes expanding overseas lending, bond issuances, and payment systems like CIPS to ensure uninterrupted trade amid geopolitical tensions such as U.S. and EU sanctions on Chinese banks for alleged Russian ties. Official data from China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange shows these efforts have quadrupled RMB-related overseas activities to RMB3.4 trillion ($480 billion) over five years.

How is China Expanding RMB in Global Bonds and Trade Finance?

China is aggressively broadening RMB’s role in international bonds and trade financing to solidify its currency’s global footprint. According to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, fixed-income assets held by banks abroad have more than doubled to $1.5 trillion in the past decade, with RMB-denominated portions now totaling $484 billion, including $360 billion in loans and deposits—up sharply from $110 billion in 2020. The Bank for International Settlements reports a $373 billion spike in RMB loans to emerging markets from 2020 to 2024, marking a pivot from dollar- and euro-based credit.

Countries such as Kenya, Angola, and Ethiopia have restructured dollar debts into RMB equivalents, while Indonesia, Slovenia, and Kazakhstan are issuing or have issued RMB bonds—Kazakhstan’s recent RMB2 billion offshore sale yielded 3.3%. Swift data indicates the RMB’s share in global trade finance has risen from under 2% to 7.6% in three years, positioning it as the second-most used currency after the dollar. China supports this through an expanding network of offshore clearing banks and bilateral swap agreements, with Chinese customs data revealing over RMB1 trillion in monthly RMB-settled trade. This now accounts for nearly 30% of China’s total trade and more than 50% of its cross-border payments.

Expert analysis underscores the strategic intent: “From China’s perspective, settlement in renminbi is important because it shows that no matter what happens, it can still trade,” noted Adam Wolfe from Absolute Strategy Research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Drives China’s Push for RMB Dominance in Global Finance?

Geopolitical pressures, including U.S. and EU sanctions targeting Chinese banks for alleged ties to Russian weapons components, are key drivers. These measures aim to limit China’s financial exposure to Western restrictions, ensuring resilient trade pathways. As a result, Beijing promotes RMB usage in sovereign credit and commodities, fostering a multi-currency environment to mitigate dollar vulnerabilities.

How Does China’s CIPS System Support Renminbi Internationalization?

China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) facilitates efficient RMB transactions outside traditional Western networks like Swift. Since early 2024, quarterly transaction values have surpassed RMB40 trillion, indicating a migration of payments to RMB-denominated channels. This development enhances RMB liquidity and reduces dependence on dollar-based infrastructure, as highlighted by experts advocating for a balanced global financial order.

Key Takeaways

• RMB Assets Growth: Overseas RMB lending, bonds, and deposits have quadrupled to RMB3.4 trillion in five years, signaling China’s commitment to currency diversification.
• Trade Finance Shift: RMB now handles 7.6% of global trade finance, with over 50% of China’s cross-border payments in RMB, supported by swap lines and offshore banks.
• Challenges Ahead: Despite progress, RMB’s 2.1% share of global reserves per IMF data highlights needs for capital control reforms and more accessible assets to attract investors.

Conclusion

China’s renminbi internationalization marks a pivotal shift in global finance, with overseas RMB assets reaching $480 billion and trade settlements exceeding RMB1 trillion monthly, driven by strategic expansions in bonds, loans, and systems like CIPS. While challenges such as capital controls persist, initiatives in Hong Kong’s repo market and Bond Connect are enhancing liquidity and investor access. As Beijing steadily builds RMB’s presence, the world may see a more multipolar currency landscape—investors should monitor these developments for emerging opportunities in RMB-denominated instruments.

China Builds Resilience Against Sanctions Through RMB Expansion

In response to U.S. and EU sanctions, China is fortifying its financial independence by prioritizing RMB in international dealings. This includes guaranteeing trade continuity regardless of Western actions, as emphasized by analysts. The strategy encompasses a comprehensive overhaul of payment infrastructures and asset offerings to embed the RMB deeper into sovereign and commercial finance.

Enhancing RMB Liquidity in Hong Kong and Beyond

Hong Kong plays a central role in RMB internationalization, with recent roadmaps supporting liquidity and bond issuance. The opening of the interbank repo market to foreign investors allows RMB bonds to serve as loan collateral, boosting their appeal. Expansions in Bond Connect enable mainland access to Hong Kong’s fixed-income markets, creating a robust liquidity pool. “It only makes sense for investors to allocate more into these assets if they are able to use them for more than just holding and generating an income,” observed Karen Lam from Simmons & Simmons. Paul Smith from Citi described these moves as comparable to landmark stock connect programs, linking global issuers to RMB resources.

Bert Hoffman, professor at the National University of Singapore, views this as evidence of China’s vision for a multi-currency system: “A dollar-based system is inherently unstable and has disadvantages that a multicurrency system would not have.” Although Swift notes a dip in RMB’s global payment share, internal metrics show robust growth, with CIPS volumes hitting new highs. Beijing’s gradual approach is methodically assembling the infrastructure for broader RMB adoption, ensuring its quiet but enduring integration into the world economy. “The policy is moving very gradually, but all of the elements that would make a much more rapid internationalization work—they’re falling into place,” Hoffman added.