Beijing exchange sets asset threshold at 500,000 yuan for retail investors

Any retail investor qualified to trade on the Beijing Stock Exchange should have at least 500,000 yuan ($77,500) worth of assets in their securities accounts, the new bourse said on Friday.

Individual investors who have trading experience of more than 24 months and have at least 500,000 yuan in securities accounts on average during the most recent 20 trading sessions will be qualified to trade BSE-listed companies, according to trial rules the exchange released.

The rules took effect on Friday, meaning qualified investors can now make an appointment with brokerages to apply for BSE trading access. There is no asset threshold for institutional investors.

The 500,000-yuan threshold is a reduction from the 1 million-yuan level used on the NEEQ Select, upon which the BSE was founded.