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The Shenzhen FinTech Competition 2026 (FinTechathon), International Track, is a funded student competition in Shenzhen, China. Teams that reach the on-site finals get their return travel and accommodation covered, and the competition has a total prize pool of RMB 250,000. There is no registration fee.
It is hosted by Tsinghua University’s PBC School of Finance with WeBank. University student teams build AI-powered solutions to real financial problems under the theme “AI as a Financial Participant.” One thing to know up front: the International Track is open to university student teams from the 21 APEC economies, so check the list below to see if your country is included.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Host country | China (Shenzhen) |
| Host | Tsinghua University PBC School of Finance, with WeBank |
| Competition | 2026 Shenzhen International FinTech Competition (FinTechathon), International Track |
| Theme | AI as a Financial Participant |
| Who can apply | University student teams from the 21 APEC economies |
| Funding | Return travel and accommodation for the top teams at the on-site finals, plus a RMB 250,000 prize pool |
| Registration fee | None |
| Deadline | Registration around 20 October 2026; preliminary round closes 2 November 2026 (confirm on the official page) |
What is the Shenzhen FinTech Competition?
It is a competition where student teams design artificial intelligence tools for real problems in finance, things like risk, payments, fraud, and credit. You work in a team, build a solution, and submit it for the preliminary round. The best teams are invited to Shenzhen for the on-site finals.
It is run by the PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University, one of China’s top universities, together with WeBank, a large digital bank. The on-site finals and awards take place in Shenzhen in late November 2026.
What you get
- Return travel and accommodation covered for the top teams who reach the on-site finals (the organisers list this for the top 10 teams, subject to the final rules)
- A share of the RMB 250,000 prize pool
- Company visits to Shenzhen technology and banking firms
- Access to WeBank’s FinTech talent pool
- Certificates from a competition accredited by China’s Ministry of Education
The prizes are: first prize RMB 100,000, second prize RMB 80,000, third prize RMB 50,000, and a best innovation award of RMB 20,000, plus excellence awards for other strong teams.
Who can apply
- You are a university student, applying as part of a team.
- Your team is from one of the 21 APEC economies.
- You are interested in artificial intelligence and financial technology.
The 21 APEC economies are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam. If your country is not on that list, this competition is not open to you, but we post opportunities open to all nationalities every week, so look through those and apply to the ones that fit you.
Is there an age limit?
There is no stated age limit. What matters is that you are a current university student on an eligible team.
Do I need to be a finance student?
No. The competition sits where AI meets finance, so students from computer science, data, engineering, and business all fit. A mixed team with both coding and finance skills often does best.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?
No language test is listed. The International Track runs in English, so your team should be able to present your work in English.
Required documents
- Your team registration on the official platform
- Details of each team member and your university
- Your project submission for the preliminary round
Confirm the exact steps and files on the official competition page, since the organising committee sets the final rules.
How to build a strong entry
Pick one real financial problem and solve it well, rather than trying to do everything. Show how your AI solution works, who it helps, and why it is better than what exists now. Judges reward a clear idea with a working demo over a long pitch. Split the work so coders build and finance minds frame the problem.
How to apply, step by step
- Open the official competition page for the 2026 Shenzhen International FinTech Competition, International Track.
- Form your team of university students from eligible economies.
- Register the team on the official platform once registration is open.
- Build your AI solution around the theme.
- Submit your project for the preliminary round before the closing date.
- If selected, prepare for the on-site finals in Shenzhen.
Selection process
Entries go through a preliminary round. The judges shortlist the strongest teams, finalists are announced, and those teams compete in the on-site finals in Shenzhen in late November 2026, where the prizes are awarded.
Deadline
Registration closes around 20 October 2026, and the preliminary round closes on 2 November 2026.
Finalists are announced around 10 November, and the on-site finals and awards run from 21 to 23 November 2026 in Shenzhen. Dates can shift, so confirm them on the official competition page before you register.
Have a question?
Drop your question in the comments and we will do our best to help. If you have applied to something like this before, tell us how it went, it helps the next reader.
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