Banks’ “Year-End Bonus” Wealth Products Are Heating Up—Some Now Offer Nearly 12%+ Annualized Returns in Under a Month

As the year draws to a close, the long-awaited 2025 year-end bonuses are gradually landing in employees’ accounts, and the market for bonus-focused wealth management products is heating up rapidly.

A review by Time Finance shows that major state-owned banks, joint-stock banks, city commercial banks, and bank wealth-management subsidiaries have all stepped up efforts to roll out dedicated year-end bonus products and services. Bank of Communications Wealth Management’s “Xin Xin Bao” series allows investments starting from just RMB 1, with some products delivering annualized returns of up to 4.91% since inception. China CITIC Bank’s Shenzhen branch has introduced PR1–PR2 products offering up to 2.13% annualized returns over the past three months, paired with triple promotional incentives worth up to RMB 860.6. Shanghai Pudong Development Bank launched a Year of the Horse commemorative certificate of deposit with a three-year annual interest rate of 1.75% and a minimum investment of RMB 10,000. Meanwhile, Bank of Suzhou offers both proprietary and distributed products spanning a wide return range from 1.68% to as high as 12.32%.

Against a backdrop of persistently low interest rates, household investors are becoming more rational in their financial planning. A preference for stability, layered allocation strategies, and diversified portfolios is increasingly evident, with certainty of returns emerging as a top priority.

Fu Qiaochu, a researcher at Puyi Standard, told Time Finance that banks’ year-end bonus marketing strategies have undergone two notable shifts. First, banks are integrating deposits, wealth management, and fund products into comprehensive, one-stop asset allocation solutions tailored to multiple scenarios. Second, the focus has moved from simply listing products to providing professional, customized allocation strategies based on clients’ risk preferences and fund usage needs.

From Product-Centric Competition to Scenario-Based Asset Allocation

As year-end bonuses are released in concentrated waves, financial institutions are no longer competing solely on individual product yields. Instead, they are increasingly aligning offerings with specific customer profiles, usage scenarios, and risk appetites, delivering full-spectrum asset allocation services.

Banks have taken the lead in the competition to capture bonus inflows, with state-owned banks, joint-stock banks, and city commercial banks all actively participating. Leveraging their vast customer bases, state-owned banks primarily promote R2-rated conservative products across short-, medium-, and long-term maturities.

Bank of Communications has launched a themed “Best Home for Your Year-End Bonus” campaign, featuring exclusively R2-rated products. Among them, “Lingdong Huili No. 21” (30-day holding period) posted an annualized return of 4.93% over the past three months as of January 31, offering a flexible option for short-term idle funds. The bank has also introduced diversified portfolios covering deposits, funds, precious metals, and insurance to meet varied allocation needs.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China promotes salary-focused wealth products through the “Salary Manager” section of its mobile app, emphasizing low entry thresholds and diverse strategies suitable for bonus and salary funds. One distributed product, “ICBC Wealth · Daily Low-Volatility Dividend Fixed-Income Enhancement,” recorded an annualized return exceeding 3% over the past month as of January 31. With a minimum investment of RMB 1, a PR2 risk rating, and flexible subscriptions and redemptions during designated trading hours, it is well-suited to short-term allocation.

Joint-stock banks and city commercial banks are carving out differentiation through targeted offerings. China CITIC Bank’s Shenzhen branch has introduced a year-end bonus wealth plan featuring multiple PR1–PR2 products, with seven-day annualized yields up to 1.54% and three-month annualized returns reaching 2.13%. Flexible redemption options and fast withdrawal limits are complemented by the “Three Salary Rewards” campaign, offering up to RMB 860.6 in benefits.

Shanghai Pudong Development Bank recently launched its limited-edition 2026 Year of the Horse commemorative certificate of deposit, anchored by a three-year fixed deposit at a 1.75% annual interest rate and a minimum investment of RMB 10,000. Other offerings include three-year large-denomination certificates of deposit and U.S. dollar deposits with annualized rates between 2.3% and 2.8%, all available through offline branch counters.

City commercial banks are also responding with precision. Bank of Suzhou introduced a bonus-focused investment guide that recommends products based on investment horizon. Cash management products offer seven-day annualized yields of 1.68%–1.80%, while conservative products feature performance benchmarks of 2.25%–2.95%. Some distributed medium- to long-term fixed-income enhancement products have achieved annualized returns of up to 12.32% over the past month, catering to a wide range of investor needs.

To improve fund retention, several banks—including Bank of Communications, Bank of China’s Shenzhen branch, and China Everbright Bank—have launched incentive campaigns offering reward points, instant WeChat discounts, and prize-draw activities, strengthening customer engagement and loyalty.

Wealth-management subsidiaries are also building differentiated product portfolios. Bank of Communications Wealth Management, for example, has recommended several “Xin Xin Bao” products for year-end bonuses, all rated R2 and available from just RMB 1. These include Lingdong Tianli No. 7, with a performance benchmark of 1.55%–2.55% annually, and Lingdong Huili No. 6 (99-day holding period), which has delivered an annualized return of 4.91% since inception, balancing flexibility and yield.

Fu Qiaochu noted that year-end bonus-themed wealth products share the same core attributes and classification logic as standard products. Both primarily target low- to medium-risk profiles, investing mainly in fixed-income assets such as government and financial bonds to secure stable returns. Products with higher risk ratings may include limited exposure to equities, funds, or precious metals to seek incremental returns within controlled risk parameters.

Investors Prioritize Stability and Layered Allocation

The growing popularity of year-end bonus wealth management reflects not only proactive institutional strategies, but also a maturing investor mindset. Interviews conducted by Time Finance reveal a broad consensus: investors are no longer chasing high returns blindly, instead prioritizing safety, liquidity, and predictable outcomes.

Chen Xiang (pseudonym), an internet operations professional in Shanghai, received a year-end bonus of over RMB 80,000 after three years of work. “I didn’t want to lock everything into fixed deposits at the expense of returns, but I also didn’t dare jump into high-volatility stocks or funds,” she said. Ultimately, she adopted a layered allocation strategy: RMB 30,000 in fixed deposits at an annualized rate of 1.8% for long-term certainty, RMB 30,000 in short-term R2 bank wealth products for liquidity and yield, and the remaining RMB 20,000 allocated to a gold investment plan. “This way, I don’t worry too much about principal loss, and I can access funds when needed. Since this is hard-earned money, stability matters most.”

Yang Hua (pseudonym), who works in Guangzhou and expects his bonus of around RMB 120,000 to arrive in early February, has already received multiple product recommendations from banks. “I’m moderately aggressive,” he explained. “I plan to allocate 60% to ‘fixed-income plus’ products, 20% to index fund systematic investments, and keep the remaining 20% in money market funds for holiday spending and emergencies.” Reflecting on past experiences with volatile products, he added, “In a low-interest environment, I’m not expecting overnight riches. Steady appreciation is enough.”

Different age groups are showing increasingly targeted preferences. Sheng Bai (pseudonym), a post-2000s employee with one year of work experience and a bonus of just over RMB 20,000, chose to place most of his funds in money market funds, with a small portion allocated to fund investments. “I’m still new to investing. For now, stability comes first. I’ll adjust my allocation once my income becomes more stable.”

Meanwhile, Li Luo (pseudonym), a middle-aged professional in Shenzhen, prefers short-term, low-risk products due to potential holiday cash needs. “There are so many options now. I’m still comparing products and will likely choose something with strong liquidity and low risk.”

Fu Qiaochu advises investors to align their choices with liquidity needs and fund usage plans. “First, clarify the purpose and timeline of the year-end bonus. Second, objectively assess risk tolerance and prioritize low- to medium-risk assets if stability is key. Finally, maintain independent judgment and view promotional messaging rationally.”