As artificial intelligence reshapes the way businesses are built and operated, a new breed of entrepreneurs is emerging: one-person companies that leverage AI tools to run lean, agile businesses. Sensing an opportunity in this fast-growing segment, commercial banks are stepping up efforts to court these solo entrepreneurs, rolling out dedicated lending products and integrated services that go beyond financing to support their businesses at every stage of growth.
OPCs are business ventures in which entrepreneurs leverage AI tools and professional service networks to handle research, development and operations independently or in small teams. Characterized by lean organizational structures and rapid innovation cycles, these businesses have diverse financial and operational needs, ranging from account opening and payment settlement to working capital, tax and regulatory compliance, market expansion and cross-border operations.
Shanghai Pudong Development Bank launched a dedicated OPC section on its mobile app in October, bringing together services such as account opening, credit facilities and legal consultations to support individual entrepreneurs.
Looking beyond financing, the bank has also broadened its support ecosystem through a services section offering legal information, standard contract templates and access to lawyer consultations. In addition, it has introduced a business qualification assessment tool that allows entrepreneurs to conduct self-assessments for three types of credentials: trademark registration; technology-based small and medium-sized enterprise status; and high-tech enterprise status.
On Oct 23, the Jing'an subbranch of Bank of Shanghai signed a framework cooperation agreement with Shanghai Yiqi Naohai Artificial Intelligence Technology Co to collaborate in areas such as AI video production and AI-powered content creation.
Bank of Shanghai had already extended a 3 million yuan ($449,700) loan to the company in September. The latest partnership takes this approach a step further by extending credit assessments to individual OPC creators on the platform. Drawing on their order volumes, contract fulfillment and settlement records, the bank will explore small-scale financing solutions to support expenses such as computing power procurement and project pre-financing.
Yang Chen, head of Bank of Shanghai's Jing'an subbranch, said OPCs represent a new type of business entity emerging in the AI era and banks must keep pace with changes in the industrial landscape rather than assess new businesses through the lens of outdated perspectives.
Meanwhile, cooperation between banks and OPC communities is gaining momentum. The Beijing Branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China unveiled a comprehensive financial services plan for OPCs in September and signed cooperation agreements with eight OPC communities, seeking to establish a regular collaboration mechanism through which financial institutions and entrepreneurial hubs can jointly support OPCs and small innovation teams.
Xue Hongyan, a special researcher at Jiangsu Su Merchants Bank Co, said OPC founders are typically technology professionals whose businesses hold significant growth and data value. Securing the first banking relationship and accumulating operational data can help banks establish long-term partnerships with these businesses at an early stage.
He added that OPC banking is encouraging banks to move beyond lending toward integrated services covering account opening, financing, wealth management and advisory support. This represents a shift from being capital providers to becoming partners in entrepreneurship and business operations. The trend also aligns with the broader transition in inclusive finance from pursuing scale-driven growth to prioritizing high-quality development.
Zeng Gang, head of the Tianfu Liyan Financial Research Institute, said that in the long run, OPCs could reshape the underlying logic of inclusive corporate finance. Banks are likely to become less reliant on real estate collateral and gradually develop credit assessment systems centered on data, talent and intangible assets, positioning themselves as providers of comprehensive entrepreneurial support services.
At the same time, Zeng cautioned that OPCs carry greater risks than conventional small and micro businesses. Their operations are highly dependent on a single founder, while the rapid pace of AI development and uncertainty surrounding commercialization add to the challenges. He recommended that banks establish multidimensional data-based assessment systems incorporating transaction flows, intellectual property, the credit records of actual controllers and industry qualifications. These should be complemented by streamlined post-loan early-warning mechanisms that monitor cash flows through settlement data.
