China: State Administration for Market Regulation issues guidelines on fee collection practices for online trading platforms

On 31 July 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released guidelines to standardise and guide the fee collection practices of online trading platform operators, in line with the Price Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Electronic Commerce Law of the People’s Republic of China, and other applicable laws and regulations. The guidelines define the scope of platform fees, covering commissions, registration fees, handling fees, membership fees, technical and information service fees, marketing and promotion fees, advertising fees, deposits, and other related charges. They require platforms to adopt reasonable charging standards based on costs, service agreements, transaction rules, and industry practices, while adhering to the principles of fairness, legality, honesty, and trustworthiness. Provisions address fee compliance management responsibilities, the establishment of internal compliance systems, risk identification and assessment mechanisms, pre-compliance review procedures, compliance training, transparency obligations for fee disclosure, public consultation requirements for changes to fee-related agreements, historical version retention, deposit collection standards, restrictions on unreasonable charges, responses to operator reports, and cooperation with market supervision departments. The guidelines also encourage flexible pricing strategies, profit-sharing with small and medium-sized merchants, fee reductions or exemptions in emergencies, fostering a compliance-oriented culture, using data technology to monitor charging risks, and promoting industry self-discipline to safeguard operators’ legitimate rights and interests.