Beijing, China - Feb 19, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Screenshot of chart showing Top 20 currencies' share in global payments in January 2026

FILE: Singapore city, Singapore - March 2017 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Bank of China (BOC) Singapore Branch building
3. Sign reading "RMB Business Centre," clerks working

FILE: Singapore - 2015 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Reception of Singapore Branch of Bank of China
5. Customers at bank counter

FILE: Istanbul, Türkiye - July 2, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
6. Various of staff members working in Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Turkey) Co., Ltd.

FILE: Zhejiang Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
7. Various of bank clerk counting Chinese yuan banknotes, banknotes going through cash counting machine
8. Various of bundles of Chinese yuan banknotes

FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
9. Various of bank clerk counting Chinese yuan banknotes, banknotes going through cash counting machine

The Chinese renminbi (RMB) climbed one spot to become the world's fifth-most active currency for international payments in January, capturing 3.13 percent of global transaction value, a report showed on Thursday.

According to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial (SWIFT), the global payments network, yuan-denominated transaction value surged more than 11 percent compared to the previous month, while overall payment volumes declined by nearly three percent.

Over the past few years, RMB has steadily expanded its footprint in cross-border trade and finance amid China's efforts to internationalize its currency.

Despite the yuan's gains, the U.S. dollar has maintained its leading position as the dominant global payment currency, representing nearly half of all payment value. However, its share edged down from December 2025 levels.