China’s Corporate Credit Index Maintains Steady Upward Trend in Q1 2026

The State Administration for Market Regulation released data on April 18 showing that China’s Corporate Credit Index stood at 162.05 in the first quarter of 2026, with the index reaching 162.26 in March 2026, maintaining a steady upward momentum. Xinhua News Agency reported that the index’s performance reflects the sound development of China’s corporate credit environment and the continuous optimization of the business climate.

According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, the overall corporate credit level in China fluctuated at a high level. In the first quarter of 2026, the Corporate Credit Index edged down by 0.13 points from the fourth quarter of 2025 but was 0.39 points higher than the third quarter of 2025, operating stably within a historically high range. People’s Network noted that such slight fluctuations are normal in the process of high-level operation and do not affect the overall positive trend.

March 2026 saw a further improvement in corporate credit, with the index rising by 0.17 points from February. The proportion of enterprises with low credit risks expanded, regulatory activity increased, and the credit foundation was continuously consolidated, extending the steady upward development trend. China Daily pointed out that the rising proportion of low-credit-risk enterprises indicates that more enterprises are operating in compliance with laws and regulations, and the awareness of integrity management is constantly enhanced.

The China Enterprise Credit Index, with 2014 as the base period and 100 points as the base point, is an important tool for measuring the overall credit status of Chinese enterprises, constructed by the State Administration for Market Regulation based on its regulatory functions and data resources, China Government Network explained. Since its first release, the index has generally shown a "slight fluctuation and steady rise" trend, reflecting the continuous improvement of China’s corporate credit system.

In addition to the overall stable performance, the credit level of enterprises in various industries maintained a steady progress. In the first quarter of 2026, the top five industries in terms of credit index were the financial industry, education, electricity, heat, gas and water production and supply industry, manufacturing industry, and water conservancy, environment and public facilities management industry. The same five industries retained their leading positions in the credit index ranking in March 2026.

Li Wei, a senior researcher at the China Enterprise Credit Research Institute, stated that the steady operation of the Corporate Credit Index at a high level in the first quarter fully demonstrates the resilience of China’s market entities. "The continuous optimization of the credit environment has laid a solid foundation for the high-quality development of enterprises, and the stable performance of key industries has further strengthened the stability of the overall credit system," he added. China.org.cn reported that China is accelerating the establishment of a comprehensive corporate credit evaluation system to further play the fundamental role of credit in market regulation.