A 1-billion "one-person company" is on the way, with banks accelerating their bets on OPC

As AI technology becomes more widespread, under policy support and financial resource guidance, the OPC (full name One Person Company) model is rapidly developing. The “Global OPC Economy Development White Paper (2026)” predicts that the penetration rate of OPCs will rise from 4% in 2026 to 65% by 2050, meaning there will be approximately 1 billion OPCs worldwide by 2050.

Currently, at least first- and second-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Suzhou have issued policies related to OPCs, promoting their development through creating startup parks, optimizing business registration processes, and offering tax incentives.

Meanwhile, many banks are actively expanding their OPC services. According to incomplete financial reports, at least Jiangsu Bank (600919.SH), Qingdao Bank (002948.SZ), Changshu Rural Commercial Bank, Shuyang Rural Commercial Bank, Yuhang Rural Commercial Bank, Nanjing Bank (601009.SH) Nanjing Branch, Bank of Communications (601328.SH) Suzhou Branch, and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (600000.SH) Qingdao Branch have launched financial products or services targeting OPCs. Overall, these efforts are characterized by breaking traditional credit logic, focusing on the tech innovation track, improving service efficiency, and building comprehensive, full-cycle service systems.

Wang Peng, Associate Researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out in an analysis that banks’ active involvement in OPCs is driven by three main considerations: first, to seize high ground in new productive forces; second, to address the current insufficient effective financing needs; third, to achieve ecological and digital transformation.

Gao Zhengyang, a special researcher at the Suzhou Commercial Bank OPC Research Institute, told Caixin that when expanding OPC services, banks need to be cautious of credit risks, cash flow disruptions, and risks related to pricing and risk control model adaptation.

By 2050, there could be 1 billion OPCs globally

With AI development, production methods are being reshaped, and entrepreneurial thresholds are significantly lowered, leading to the rise of OPCs (One Person Companies).

High Chengyuan, a financial writer and proponent of the “Yi person company” theory, told Caixin that OPCs are the carriers of “super individuals” in the AI era, characterized by “light assets, strong innovation, and high-frequency turnover,” aligning with the development direction of new productive forces. Currently, OPCs have evolved from a legal concept into a new organizational form of “AI + super individuals,” where a single “commander” plus an “AI virtual team” can possess the capabilities of a hundred-person team.

On social media platforms, various cases of setting up “one-person companies” are frequently reported—some claim to earn 2 million yuan per month with AI, others have developed over 120 software applications in five months, with 90% having paid accounts; some use AI as a “virtual team” to produce short dramas, generating annual income of tens of thousands of yuan. Although these claims are still to be verified, they reflect a significant enhancement in individual productivity under AI support.

Policy measures are accelerating. So far, at least Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Shenzhen have issued OPC-related policies, either creating dedicated startup parks for OPC enterprises or providing services such as business license processing and tax incentives.

For example, Hangzhou’s Shangcheng District recently issued Zhejiang’s first district-level special policy for “one-person companies,” allocating 100 million yuan annually on top of existing industrial policies, and aiming to establish itself as the “First City for OPC Entrepreneurship.” This year, it plans to create 10 “plug-and-play” startup communities for global “AI+” entrepreneurs.

In the Liangzhu Digital Ecosystem Bay AI+ Industry Community in Yuhang District, Hangzhou, services for one-person companies include: “AI+” design, elderly care, health, finance and taxation, hardware, GC, etc. The community offers services such as office rent subsidies, property energy consumption subsidies, R&D expense subsidies, talent support, angel funds, interest subsidies, computing power and model support, and professional event sponsorship.

According to the “Global OPC Economy Development White Paper (2026)” published by the Knowledge Intelligence Think Tank OPC Research Institute, the OPC penetration rate (the proportion of knowledge workers whose main income source is an OPC model) depends on three factors: technological empowerment, policy support, and intergenerational mindset shifts. Using a logistic growth model, it is estimated that under baseline scenarios, the OPC penetration rate will increase from 4% in 2026 to 65% by 2050, meaning approximately 1 billion OPCs globally.

Banks are rushing into OPCs

Amid the continuous expansion of OPCs, financial institutions are also accelerating their deployment of related services.

According to announcements from various banks, at least Jiangsu Bank, Qingdao Bank, Changshu Rural Commercial Bank, Shuyang Rural Commercial Bank, Yuhang Rural Commercial Bank, Nanjing Bank Nanjing Branch, Bank of Communications Suzhou Branch, and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Qingdao Branch have launched financial products or services targeting OPCs.

Overall, the features of banks’ OPC strategies include breaking traditional credit logic, focusing on tech innovation sectors, improving service efficiency, and building comprehensive, full-cycle service systems.

For example, Jiangsu Bank has launched dedicated financing products for OPCs, using industry trends, core technologies, and order information as credit bases, enabling “instant approval, quick loans, and flexible repayment.”

Yuhang Rural Commercial Bank’s Wuchang Branch has established a special loan fund pool for AI+ OPC startup projects within Wuchang Street, supporting incubation and liquidity needs. Caixin learned that the bank has provided targeted credit lines for OPC projects in Wuchang Street, with a total limit of up to 200 million yuan. For high-level talent entrepreneurs in Hangzhou, the bank offers high-end talent credit limits: A and B category talents can access up to 20 million yuan; C category up to 10 million; D category up to 5 million; E category up to 2 million.

Qingdao Bank’s Technology Department offers customized convenience services for OPC companies, such as scheduling account opening on the same day they obtain their business license, with a fastest processing time of 20 minutes. For early-stage OPC startups facing cost pressures, the bank provides fee reductions on account opening, transfers, and other services based on operational conditions.

Spurred by these developments, the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Qingdao Branch has developed an OPC comprehensive financial service plan, covering basic account opening, settlement, financing, and tailored credit cards, loans, and wealth management services for AI entrepreneurs, as well as policy interpretation, technology qualification applications, legal consulting, and connecting external resources through “Tech Lounge” and other platforms.

Wang Peng pointed out that the core reasons banks are actively engaging in OPCs are threefold: first, to seize the high ground of new productive forces. OPCs are driven by “AI + individual” and represent a new form of productive force; early involvement allows banks to identify and lock in potential “unicorn” seed clients.

Second, to address the current insufficient effective financing needs. In the highly competitive traditional corporate banking sector, OPC clients generate numerous small, high-frequency credit and settlement demands, serving as a key entry point for banks to achieve “Inclusive Finance 2.0.”

Third, to facilitate ecological and digital transformation. OPCs rely heavily on digital operations; by providing integrated services such as finance, taxation, payroll, and computing power, banks can deeply engage with the entire business lifecycle, shifting from mere “fund providers” to “business partners.”

Attention to three major risks

Despite the large market potential, the risk characteristics of OPC clients cannot be ignored.

Gao Zhengyang warned that while the OPC model lowers entrepreneurial barriers, it also presents issues such as unstable business cycles and significant operational fluctuations. Banks expanding into this area need to be vigilant about risks including: first, credit risk. OPCs depend on a single operator, with weaker risk resistance and more volatile cash flows; second, cash flow disruption risk. Some AI-focused OPC entities face rapid technological iteration and long commercialization cycles, which can cause temporary cash flow breaks; third, risks related to pricing and risk control model adaptation. OPCs generally have small operational scales, less financial standardization, and scarce collateral assets, making traditional credit assessment models based on financial statements and collateral less effective.

Gao Zhengyang suggests that banks can conduct dynamic risk assessments by integrating transaction data, tax data, core technology, and intellectual property information. Additionally, banks should enhance data collaboration with regulators and third-party platforms through data-driven and scenario-based approaches to improve the robustness of OPC-related services.

Bai Wenxi, Vice Chairman of the China Enterprise Capital Alliance, believes that for sustainable development in this area, banks need to build a “three-tier defense”: first, legal separation—strictly reviewing the independence of public and private accounts to prevent unlimited liability transfer; second, dynamic risk control—accessing real-time financial, tax, and intellectual property information to establish early warning mechanisms; third, product stratification—differentiating between technology-driven and content-driven tracks, implementing tiered credit policies to avoid one-size-fits-all approaches.