China plans to pump 1 trillion yuan into its state-owned banks to stabilize its struggling economy. The large-scale intervention could have major implications, particularly for Bitcoin, a decentralized asset often seen as an alternative to government monetary policy.

China bails out its banks with more than $140 billion

China is reportedly considering pumping up to 1 trillion yuan, or about $142 billion, into its major state-owned banks to boost their ability to support an economy that has been struggling for months. It’s the first time since the 2008 financial crisis that China has planned to inject liquidity of this magnitude.

This funding will come mainly from the sale of new special sovereign bonds. These are debt securities issued by governments to finance specific projects or deal with crises. Unlike traditional bonds, these bonds are issued on a one-time basis and serve specific purposes.

The injection of this trillion yuan will be a response to the record shortfall in profitability of state-owned banks:

“Banks’ net profit margin fell to 1.54% at the end of June 2024, below the minimum of 1.8% required to maintain reasonable profitability.”

Combined commercial bank profits rose by just 0.4% in the first half of 2024, the smallest increase since 2020.

However, China’s top six banks still have strong Tier 1 capital, the safest financial reserves they can use to absorb losses in the event of a problem. What’s more, their capital buffer ratio stands at 11.77%, above the minimum 8.5% required to ensure their stability.

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However, the Chinese government seems determined to combat the growing pressure on their profitability by injecting more liquidity. The aim is to restore profitability, avoid bankruptcies and ensure that these banks can continue to support the economy.

This liquidity will enable banks to continue lending despite the downturn in the real estate market, which also affects their profit margins.

Bitcoin could benefit from increasingly accommodative monetary policies

The massive injection of liquidity into China, the first of its kind since the 2008 crisis, is a reminder of the conditions under which Bitcoin was born.

In fact, the Bitcoin blockchain was introduced and launched at the height of the subprime mortgage crisis, a period marked by dire economic consequences around the world, prompting central banks to print massive amounts of liquidity.

The Times headline “Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks,” made famous by Bitcoin and included in the Genesis blockchain, still resonates 15 years later, and it seems like the same situation is repeating itself. Satoshi Nakamoto’s criticism of the flaws in the current financial system is as relevant as ever.

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If this injection of liquidity into China fails, along with a more accommodating pivot to the US Federal Reserve (FED), it could lead to a resurgence of interest in Bitcoin, which remains immune to government control.