The first payment institution has exited this year, and the number of payment licenses continues to decrease.

The number of third-party payment licenses in China is continuously decreasing. Recently, the official website of the People's Bank of China updated the list of license institutions that have been canceled, and Henan Jubao Payment Co., Ltd.'s payment license was canceled, becoming the first payment institution to exit the market in 2026. "The main factor accelerating the clearing out of the payment industry is not just the simple reduction in the number of payment institutions, but the structural reshuffling of the entire industry and the upgrading of regulatory paradigms." Luo Feipeng, a researcher at China Postal Savings Bank, said that in 2026, there is still a trend of further reduction in the number of third-party payment licenses.