China revises rules for cross-border RMB payment system

BEIJING, Dec. 26 -- China's central bank on Friday said that it has revised the rules of the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) to strengthen management and better support the development of cross-border renminbi (RMB) services.

As CIPS business increases and the number of participants expands, the previous rules are no longer sufficient to meet the development and management needs of those participants, making revisions necessary, according to the People's Bank of China.

The updated rules standardize a range of activities, including account registration for participants and operating institutions, the ownership of participants' settlement funds, and the management of liquidity among participants.

They also refine the system's settlement mechanism, and clarify requirements for queue management, transaction cancellations and returns, among other business activities.

The revised rules will take effect on Feb. 1, 2026.