​An aerial image of Pudong Financial Plaza. [Photo/bilibili.com]

Pudong New Area released application guidelines for the 2026 edition of its financial industry high-quality development special fund supporting fintech industry projects.

According to the Pudong New Area Financial Regulatory Bureau, the application process is conducted under the Pudong New Area Financial Industry High-Quality Development Special Fund Management Measures.

Ⅰ. Eligible applicants

Applicants must be lawfully operating fintech enterprises that have made significant contributions to the development of Pudong's fintech sector and provide digital transformation architecture design, intellectual property, and related services to financial regulators, financial factors market and infrastructure, financial institutions, and local financial organizations. Revenue from such services must exceed 50 percent of the enterprise's total operating revenue in the previous year.

Ⅱ. Application directions

Direction one: Support fintech enterprises in participating in fintech innovation regulatory pilots led by the People's Bank of China and the National Financial Regulatory Administration, capital market fintech innovation pilots led by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and other fintech innovation pilot programs led by the capital market of the China Securities Regulatory Commission or Pudong New Area industry authorities.

Direction two: Encourage fintech enterprises to develop financial scenario applications and innovations in key areas, including data (data assetization and data circulation technologies), artificial intelligence (financial large models and intelligent investment advisory), and governance and risk control (anti-fraud, compliance technology, and regulatory technology).

Direction three: Support fintech enterprises in building fintech industry exchange platforms that could play a significant role in the development of the Pudong Pioneering Zone for Socialist Modernization and the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Direction four: Encourage high-quality Chinese and international fintech enterprises with core technological advantages and strong development potential to participate in the development of Pudong New Area's fintech cluster.

Ⅲ. Scope and conditions

1. Basic conditions

(1) No violation of national financial regulatory laws, regulations, and policies.

(2) No disputes over ownership or legality.

(3) Not having received other municipal- or district-level or higher fiscal special fund support of the same type.

(4) Compliance with Pudong New Area's industrial development orientation.

2. Specific conditions

(1) Direction one: regulatory sandbox and other innovation pilots.

An applicant enterprise's main business activities and revenue must occur in Pudong, with normal operations and good credit. The applicant must be the main contractor or implementer, and in principle each enterprise may apply for only one project per round. For projects jointly led by two or more enterprises, the main implementer applies; if there are multiple main implementers, any one may apply with written confirmation from the others waiving objection to the application rights.

(2) Direction two: core-track scenario applications.

The same as direction one.

(3) Direction three: industry exchange platform construction.

Applicant enterprises shall be responsible for undertaking or building activities or platforms that have significant influence, driving force, and radiating effect on the development of the fintech industry in Pudong New Area, and that comply with industrial development orientation and operational norms. The applicant enterprise must be the project implementer; for joint projects, the main implementer applies.

(4) Direction four: development of the fintech cluster area

The applicant enterprise's main business activities and revenue must occur in Pudong, with normal operations and good credit. Eligible enterprises include those that play a significant role in the development of the Pudong Pioneering Zone for Socialist Modernization and the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, and those with strong research and innovation capabilities.

Ⅳ. Application materials

1. Basic materials

(1) Fintech Industry Development Project Special Fund Application Form.

(2) Copies of the business license and legal representative's identity document.

(3) A commitment letter stating that no similar or higher-level government funding has been received, no major violations in the three years before application, and the truthfulness of submitted information.

(4) A public credit information report for the legal person, downloadable via the

Credit Shanghai portal.

2. Direction-specific materials

(1) Application for "Direction 1 (regulatory sandbox and other innovation pilots)"

Pilot approval documents: such as approval notices or shortlisting certificates issued by regulators or industry management authorities;

Project completion or acceptance materials: including test reports and acceptance certificates with conclusions marked "excellent", "passed" or "qualified";

Project summary report: It should focus on explaining the project level, innovation and demonstration value (including breakthroughs in privacy computing, large models, etc.), completion quality, and "zero-risk" operation during the pilot period.

Other supporting materials: Materials proving the scalability and innovativeness of the applied project, including but not limited to contracts or acceptance reports demonstrating large-scale application results, and authoritative industry awards. Newly established applicant enterprises or institutions may submit relevant materials of their parent entities.

(2) Application for "Direction 2 (scenario-based applications in core tracks)"

Proof of application scenario implementation: including copies of business contracts or cooperation agreements with financial institutions or real-economy enterprises, plus system operation logs or business operation certificates showing at least three months of operation;

Intellectual property proof: such as patents and software copyrights for core technologies;

Evidence of project outcomes: such as reports showing cost savings or efficiency gains, evidence of economic benefits, and case studies demonstrating improvements in financial inclusion or data security;

Other proof: materials that can prove the scalability and innovativeness of the project, including but not limited to contracts or acceptance reports that can demonstrate large-scale application results, authoritative industry awards, etc.

(3) Application for "Direction 3 (industry exchange platform development)"

Platform establishment proof: including approval documents, filing documents, cooperation agreements and articles of association for platforms initiated in Pudong, plus evidence of the number of participating enterprises and institutions;

Activity implementation proof: including notices, sign-in sheets, on-site photos, media coverage and summary reports for summits, forums, roadshows and seminars;

Output/achievement supporting materials: including but not limited to the original and/or copy of published industry white papers, documents on the formulation of group standards, contracts/agreements facilitating upstream and downstream cooperation, and proof of actual amounts for investment and financing matchmaking or achievement transformation, etc.

Other supporting materials: relevant supporting materials proving the influence, driving force, radiating effect, brand strength, and innovativeness of the applied project. Newly established applicant enterprises or institutions may submit relevant materials of their parent entities.

For the above three items of materials — proof of platform establishment, proof of activity implementation, and proof of output — at least one of them shall be submitted.

(4) Application Direction 4 (cluster area development)

Technological innovation proof: including technology testing reports, achievement evaluation reports, audited reports for the past two fiscal years with research and development expense details, and statements on research staff educational background composition, research staff proportion and research investment;

Growth potential proof: including statements on upstream and downstream industrial ecosystem partners, financial statements or audit reports for the past three years, the latest financing agreement, capital arrival proof and valuation evidence, and third-party market research reports on the growth of the track or segment;

Other proof: relevant supporting materials proving the influence, driving force, radiating effect, brand strength, and innovativeness of the applied entity.

Ⅴ. Application process

1. Application period

Online applications run from Aug 10 to Aug 25, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.

2. Application procedure

Applicants should log in to Shanghai's Government Online-Offline portal, select Pudong New Area, and then go to the application page for the Pudong New Area Financial Industry High-Quality Development Special Fund (浦东新区金融业高质量发展专项资金申报). Applications and supporting materials can then be submitted online using the corporate authentication system. A stamped application form and two printed copies of supporting materials must be delivered to the Pudong New Area Party Committee's Financial Regulatory Office by Aug 28. The office will organize expert review and select supported projects on a competitive basis.

Ⅵ. Other matters

1. Compliance requirements

Enterprises and professional service agencies must act in good faith. Any falsification or forged materials, once verified, will result in a three-year ban on applications, inclusion in Pudong's public credit information records, mandatory return of support funds, and corresponding legal liability.

2. Contacts

Yang Han, 021-6896-2352,

yangh02@pudong.gov.cn;

Lan Tian, 021-6896-2862,

lantian@pudong.gov.cn.

Source: Pudong New Area Financial Regulatory Bureau