By Bloomberg News | Updated on Jun 13, 2026 at 10:08 AM
China issued guidelines on classifying and grading financial information service data, providing a framework to implement existing data security laws.
The guidelines apply to financial information service providers operating within China and outline how data should be categorized and protected, according to a joint statement by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the People’s Bank of China and four other regulators.
Data is classified into three categories—business, user and enterprise data—and graded into four levels: core, important, sensitive general and general, based on the potential impact of a breach or misuse.
The guidelines were introduced to help financial information service providers manage rapidly growing volumes of data in line with China’s data security laws, according to the statement. The measures provide a standardized framework for classifying and protecting data, with the aim of strengthening data security and promoting the lawful use of information.
As the volume of data generated by the sector grows and data flows become more frequent, there is an increasing need for standardized data management through classification and grading, regulators said in a separate question-and-answer section.
The move follows broader efforts by Chinese authorities to regulate data processing and strengthen data security, including in the financial sector.
The guidelines require firms to inventory, classify and grade data, maintain classification lists and report catalogs of important data. Regulators said the measures are intended to standardize data processing and strengthen data security.