China’s $7 trillion stash isn’t staying in the bank any more

A huge pile of cash sitting in Chinese time deposits is starting to move. Close to $7 trillion is set to mature this year, and households are hungry for returns higher than slow paying savings accounts. That’s driving more flows into stocks, gold and other assets as people chase yield instead of letting money gather dust.

After years of low rates and weak equity performance, investors are looking elsewhere. Stocks in China have rallied since 2025, making equities more appealing, and demand for insurance and wealth products is rising fast too. Its a sign that confidence in priced assets is picking up in a market long dominated by bank deposits.

All this matters for markets globally. When savers start reallocating big sums into stocks and gold, liquidity patterns change. That can lift markets at home and abroad while also adding fresh volatility if sentiment turns.

Is this cash migration is a temporary search for return, or the start of a longer trend where Chinese capital plays a far bigger role in global asset markets.