The financial industry is the largest leading industry in Guangzhou's Tianhe district. As of the end of April this year, Tianhe was home to 243 licensed financial institutions, 39 foreign banks, and 294 recorded private equity fund management institutions.

It has also gathered three financial trading platforms, namely the Shanghai Stock Exchange's southern center, the Guangzhou Futures Exchange, and the China Securities Internet System's southern headquarters, as well as four financial institutes like the Guangzhou Institute of Digital Finance Innovation, which have driven over 350 fintech enterprises to settle in the district.

Tianhe has consistently supported the development of the financial sector. It gives a maximum award of 30 million yuan ($4.26 million) to licensed legal person financial institutions with paid-up capital of over 200 million yuan that newly settle in the district, as well as a one-time award of 1.2 million yuan to tier 1 branches, regional headquarters, and licensed franchised institutions of licensed financial institutions that newly settle in or move to the district. Awards are also granted to talents in the financial sector.

Tianhe is full of high-rise buildings. [Photo/WeChat account: gztzth]

Most of the financial institutions in the district tend to settle in the Tianhe central business district (CBD) and Guangzhou International Financial City, making them one of the financial core circles in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

According to the industrial development plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), Guangzhou International Financial City will make efforts to promote the construction of 116 major projects, involving a total investment of over 180 billion yuan, and shall achieve a GDP of 70 billion yuan by 2025.

To date, it has attracted 14 financial institutions, and has built finance-featured buildings like the Southern Finance Omnimedia Corp (SFC) Building, Poly Financial Metropolis, as well as the Greenland City Center.

Tianhe district is currently positioned as building the financial cooperation demonstration zone in the Greater Bay Area relying on Guangzhou International Financial City.