Bank of China Reverses Net Interest Income Decline

The Tip Desk · November 1, 2026 · 3 min read

Nine-month net interest income reached RMB359.606 billion, up 10.38% year-on-year, after a 3.04% decline in the same 2025 period.

Bank of China (BOC) reversed a year-earlier contraction in net interest income for the nine months to September 2026, reporting RMB359.606 billion, up 10.38% from the same period of 2025, after that line had fallen 3.04% to RMB325.792 billion a year earlier. The net interest margin was 1.27%, versus 1.26% in the same 2025 period.

Operating income for the nine months was RMB526.802 billion, up 7.05% from 2025. Profit attributable to equity holders was RMB187.482 billion, up 5.53%. For the three months ended 30 September 2026, operating income was RMB169.689 billion, up 4.30% year-on-year, and profit attributable to equity holders was RMB63.888 billion, up 6.36%; annualised return on weighted average equity was 8.90%, up 0.18 percentage points.

Non-interest income was RMB167.196 billion for the nine months, up only 0.52% year-on-year, after a 16.22% increase to RMB166.323 billion in the same 2025 period. It accounted for 31.74% of operating income, down from 33.80%. Net fee and commission income was RMB65.639 billion, up 0.07% year-on-year, after an 8.07% increase to RMB65.591 billion in the same 2025 period.

Operating expenses were RMB185.799 billion for the nine months, down 0.42% year-on-year, after an 8.03% increase to RMB186.575 billion in the same 2025 period. The cost-to-income ratio was 25.72%, versus 26.90%. Impairment losses on assets were RMB95.840 billion, up 19.03% year-on-year, after a 6.20% decrease to RMB80.518 billion in the same 2025 period.

Loans and advances to customers at end-September 2026 were RMB25,020.222 billion, up 6.68% from year-end 2025, versus an 8.15% increase to RMB23,353.068 billion at end-September 2025. Corporate loans rose 9.65% to RMB18,183.135 billion after an 11.71% increase, while personal loans fell 0.56% to RMB6,786.970 billion after a 0.56% increase. Due to customers were RMB27,063.863 billion, up 3.37% from year-end 2025, versus a 6.10% increase to RMB25,678.840 billion at end-September 2025. Personal deposits rose 4.93% to RMB13,453.971 billion after an 8.49% increase; certificates of deposit and other deposits fell 14.90% to RMB422.545 billion after a 12.93% increase.

Non-performing loans were RMB304.110 billion, with the NPL ratio at 1.22%, down 0.01 percentage point from year-end 2025. Allowance coverage was 198.30%, down 2.07 percentage points, versus a 1.24% NPL ratio and 196.60% coverage at end-September 2025. The common equity tier 1 capital adequacy ratio was 12.04%, versus 12.58% at end-September 2025; tier 1 and total capital adequacy ratios were 13.86% and 18.45%, versus 14.66% and 18.66%.

Total assets at 30 September 2026 were RMB41,108.449 billion, up 7.17% from year-end 2025, versus a 7.10% increase to RMB37,550.163 billion at end-September 2025. A 2026 interim cash dividend of RMB1.190 per ten ordinary shares, or RMB38.343 billion before tax, was approved on 28 August 2026, versus a 2025 interim dividend of RMB1.094 per ten shares, or RMB35.250 billion, approved in August 2025.