Utterly friendly, convenient, interest-free

For public relations manager Lena Lyu, 27, only three of the 40 apps that occupy her 5-inch mobile screen have real value. All the three apps, including JD Finance, are money-related.

Welcome to the world of Internet finance in China. It is a user-friendly, popular personal finance channel made popular by Internet companies such as JD.com Inc and Tencent Holdings Ltd.

"I am an avid user of JD.com's consumer credit service. With a 6,500-yuan ($988) monthly salary in Beijing, I live from paycheck to paycheck. But Internet finance helps me to tide over frequent money shortfalls," said Lyu, who received her master's degree in international journalism in July 2015.