The University student consumer market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 12%, and is expected to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan in 2025. In this context, student Charge Cards, as a bridge connecting financial inclusion and youth consumption upgrades, are undergoing a transformation from “marginal attempts” to “strategic layout.” As of Q3 2024, 12 national banks have launched exclusive products, with card issuance exceeding 8.5 million, a 3.2-fold increase from 2020, of which users born after 1995 account for 78%, becoming the most dynamic incremental market in the consumer finance field.
The balance between risk control and credit granting
Different from the rigid credit limit system of traditional Charge Cards, student Charge Cards adopt the “dynamic credit scoring + scenario-based credit granting” model. For example, China Merchants Bank’s “YOUNG Card (Campus Edition)” verifies the authenticity of student status by connecting to the academic affairs system, and builds a multi-dimensional evaluation model based on campus consumption data (canteen/library usage frequency) and behavior data (payment/public welfare donation records). The initial credit limit is usually set at 3,000-8,000 yuan, and is dynamically increased based on indicators such as semester performance improvement and social practice participation, which not only controls risks but also stimulates positive credit behavior.
Financial literacy education is embedded in the core of the product
In order to compete for the market, some institutions have the phenomenon of “low threshold card issuance + high credit limit induction”. A survey conducted by a certain university in 2024 showed that 23% of the students held than two Charge Cards, with an average monthly overdraft of 1,860 yuan per person (40% of the monthly living expenses). Behaviors such as “using one card to support another” and “taking money from one pocket to pay for another” have begun to emerge. What is alarming is that some campus loan platforms disguise themselves as credit card promotions, inducing advance consumption through marketing tactics such as “buying a phone with 0 down payment” and “plastic surgery installment”, causing some students to fall into debt crisis.
Only by deepening scenario innovation under the premise of controllable risks and strengthening education guidance based on skill empowerment can we truly realize the value commitment of “let credit accompany growth and let finance empower youth.”