The collaboration between Chongqing Bank and WeBank dates back to 2015. In June of that year, the two banks signed a strategic cooperation agreement, subsequently launching joint lending through the WeLend product (WeiLiDai), processing loan after loan. Based on available data, as of September 30, 2017, Chongqing Bank had issued a cumulative total of 3 million loans via WeLend.

Following this, Chongqing Bank and WeLend also ventured into financial poverty alleviation initiatives, channeling business tax revenues to Chongqing's county regions to support local poverty reduction and rural revitalization efforts, fully demonstrating corporate social responsibility. Chongqing Bank has proven to be remarkably loyal. To this day, the bank continues its partnership with WeBank. According to the latest disclosed product information sheet for personal internet loans, Chongqing Bank has ceased offering three personal internet loan products, namely Meituan's "Living Expenses," Meituan's "Business Loan," and JD.com's "Gold Bar" products. However, notably, the WeLend product has been retained as the sole offering.

The business model between Chongqing Bank and WeBank is not a loan facilitation model but rather a co-funding, risk-sharing arrangement. As one of the loan originators, Chongqing Bank provides an agreed percentage of the loan capital to borrowers, collects interest on its funded portion, and handles issuing interest income invoices for its share, resolving disputes, post-loan collections, and litigation. WeBank operates similarly. Through this approach, both licensed banks conduct independent risk controls, better mitigating potential risks.

Moreover, compared to other facilitated loan products, WeLend has a lower maximum interest rate and a longer loan tenure. Disclosures show that WeLend product limits range from RMB 500 to RMB 300,000, with a maximum annual interest rate of 21.6% and a maximum repayment period of 50 installments. In contrast, Meituan's "Living Expenses" product offers loans not exceeding RMB 300,000, with a maximum annual interest rate of 24% and a maximum tenure of 36 installments. This reflects Chongqing Bank's cautious approach, prioritizing risk control over pursuing scale growth.

For Chongqing Bank, WeBank represents a strong collaborative partner. Backed by substantial support, WeBank previously capitalized on a decade of platform dividends from WeChat and QQ, amassing a vast retail customer base and cementing its position as the leading private bank. As of the end of 2025, WeBank had served over 440 million individual customers cumulatively, with managed assets surpassing RMB 3.7 trillion, reflecting its massive scale. However, it cannot be overlooked that alongside WeBank's enormous customer numbers, its complaint volume is also considerable. In 2025, WeBank received a total of 103,300 complaints and suggestions, an increase of 44,900 from the 58,400 recorded the previous year, primarily concentrated in the "WeLend" and "WeiYeDai" products.

Despite these challenges, Chongqing Bank urgently needs to strengthen its retail business, making the continued partnership with WeBank necessary. As of June 30, 2026, Chongqing Bank's total retail loan principal stood at RMB 88.554 billion, down RMB 8.148 billion from the prior year-end, a decrease of 8.43%, indicating a declining trend in its retail loan business. Among these, personal consumption loans and other loans amounted to RMB 34.989 billion, down RMB 4.764 billion from the previous year-end, accounting for 39.51% of the total. Simultaneously, the non-performing loan ratio for retail loans is on the rise. As of June 30, 2026, the bank's retail loan NPL ratio reached 3.32%, up 0.09 percentage points from the prior year-end. Exiting the Meituan and JD.com product lines while retaining only WeLend represents the strategic trade-off Chongqing Bank has made during this period of pressure on its retail business.