Competition · China · Competition with prizes
Shenzhen International FinTech Competition 2026 for University Students
Updated 12 October 2026
Open
The 2026 Shenzhen International FinTech Competition (FinTechathon) invites university student teams from around the world to build AI-powered finance tools. It is hosted by Tsinghua University's PBC School of Finance with WeBank, a leading Chinese digital bank.
Prizes
Total prize pool: RMB 250,000 (about US$35,000)
- First prize: RMB 100,000
- Second prize: RMB 80,000
- Third prize: RMB 50,000
- Best Innovation Award: RMB 20,000
- Several Excellence Awards
Benefits for finalists
- Free round-trip international flights and accommodation to Shenzhen for invited finalists
- A visit to WeBank's headquarters
- Fast-track job interviews with WeBank for outstanding teams
Theme: "AI as a Financial Participant"
Choose one topic:
- A. Personal finance assistant
- B. Wealth advisory agent
- C. Cross-border and student finance assistant
- D. Insurance assistant
- E. SME finance copilot
- F. Agent wallet (an autonomous on-chain wallet, with bonus points)
Everything is in English: submissions, presentations and judging.
Who can enter
- Full-time students (bachelor's, master's or PhD) at universities or research institutions outside mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Chinese Taipei
- Teams of 2 to 5 students. You can mix years, courses, universities and countries.
- At least 60% of team members must be non-Chinese nationals
- Each student can join only one team
Confirm your eligibility first. An earlier announcement said the International Track was for teams from APEC economies. The latest notice doesn't mention this. Email the organiser to confirm your team qualifies before you start building.
Entry fee
Free.
Timeline
- Registration and submission deadline: 20 October 2026, 11:59 PM Beijing time
- Online review: 20–31 October 2026
- Finalists announced: 31 October 2026
- WeBank visit and check-in: 20 November 2026
- Grand final and awards: 21–23 November 2026 in Shenzhen
How to enter
- Form a team of 2 to 5 students and choose a topic.
- Download the official registration form from the competition notice: https://ird.oou.cmu.ac.th/2026-shenzhen-international-fintech-competition/
- Email the completed form and each member's passport bio page to WANG Yiran: [email protected] to confirm your team's slot.
- Build your project and email your full submission before 20 October 2026.
Problem details are on the official site: https://fintechathon.g-ican.com
Tips
- Register and email the organiser today. There isn't much time.
- Keep your project focused: one clear user problem, a working demo and a short video.
- Make sure every member has a valid passport. Finalists need a visa to travel to China.