Stock Account Opening Now Offers "Premium Numbers"! Brokerages Get Creative to Attract Clients—Can Emotional Value Drive More Customer Acquisition?

“666” “888” “999” … When buying a new car and choosing a license plate, who isn’t staring at the screen, hoping to get a lucky number like these?

Today, this obsession with “beautiful numbers” has quietly spread into the securities investment field—recently, many brokerages have launched a craze for “selecting beautiful account numbers” when opening stock accounts, turning what was once randomly assigned account numbers into new bargaining chips to attract clients.

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According to industry insiders, several brokerages including Dongwu Securities, Guojin Securities, Guoxin Securities, Hualin Securities, and Eastmoney Securities are now offering customized exclusive “beautiful numbers” for new account holders. Amid a fierce industry commission war reaching “rock-bottom,” some brokerages are trying to break the homogeneous competition with this low-cost, differentiated service.

However, behind this seemingly lively “client grabbing” battle, deeper industry concerns are hidden.

An industry insider said that emotional value cannot fully replace professional investment guidance. Customers attracted by clever marketing tactics face clear challenges in retention and conversion.

Opening an account and choosing a “beautiful number”—several brokerages offer customized services

First, let’s clarify the difference between securities accounts and fund accounts:

A securities account, commonly known as a “shareholder card,” is a sub-account generated by the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation (CSDC) with a unified number, serving as the basic proof for investors entering the stock market, similar to a vehicle’s “driving license.” A fund account is a dedicated “trading account” allocated by securities firms to investors, which can be linked to a securities account. When logging into brokerage trading software and executing buy or sell orders, it is this fund account number that is used.

Daily Economic News reporters noted that currently, Guojin Securities, Guoxin Securities, Hualin Securities, Eastmoney Securities, and Dongwu Securities have all launched services for new clients to select customized “beautiful numbers.”

Operationally, each brokerage has its own approach. For example, new clients at Guojin Securities and Guoxin Securities need to contact a client manager before opening an account to get a QR code for selecting a beautiful number, then input the last four digits of their fund account, choose a beautiful number, and complete the account opening.

At Hualin Securities, new clients can download the Hualin Securities Dolphin App, search for “select beautiful number” on the homepage to directly access the selection page, input their preferred ending digits, choose a beautiful number, and finish opening the account.

Eastmoney Securities’ new clients can download the App, search for “666” or “number selection” to enter the activity, input the last four digits of their fund account, select a beautiful number, and complete the process.

Dongwu Securities’ new clients can download the Dongwu XiuCai App, click on the “Smart Selection Gift Pack” banner on the homepage to participate in the activity, and after customizing and paying for a special gift pack, they can receive a designated beautiful number. Depending on the gift pack chosen, the last digits (2, 4, or 6 digits) or rules are adjusted accordingly.

Can offering differentiated services like “selecting beautiful numbers” break the deadlock?

Why are many brokerages intensively adding “beautiful number” services at this time?

In fact, it reflects industry frustration with commission rates reaching a “floor” and the desire for change. Industry insiders say that the launch of “beautiful number” activities by brokerages is a new approach after commissions have fallen to “rock-bottom.”

For example, in Shanghai, the average commission rate for A-shares in 2025 is projected to drop to 1.92 per ten-thousand (note: 1.92 basis points; for a 100,000 yuan trade, the commission is about 19.2 yuan; in stock trading, single-trade commissions under 5 yuan are charged as 5 yuan). Year-on-year, this is a 13.9% decrease.

Additionally, securities firms like Eastmoney Securities and Dongwu Securities have confirmed to reporters that, under certain conditions, new clients can even be offered commissions as low as 1 basis point. Some smaller brokerages have reduced commissions on Shanghai and Shenzhen stocks to 0.754 per ten-thousand, and after depositing 15,000 yuan, commissions can be further lowered to 0.691 per ten-thousand.

In such an intensely competitive market environment, brokerages are not only fighting over commissions but also innovating in services—“selecting beautiful numbers” is one of the key ways to differentiate.

This change also prompts industry reflection.

Zhang Pengyuan, a researcher at PaiPaiWang Wealth, told the Daily Economic News that the launch of “beautiful account number” services signals positive transformation: first, it promotes a shift from cold transactional platforms to emotionally connected services by adding a ritualistic element to investing, satisfying deeper emotional needs; second, it reflects refined retail operations, showing that brokerages are moving beyond price competition to truly focus on customer experience; third, by carrying emotional value, it conveys human care, quickly bridging the gap with investors and aligning with the industry’s trend toward wealth management transformation.

Zhang further pointed out that in the context of commissions hitting the “floor,” micro-innovations like “beautiful numbers” provide important inspiration for retail transformation. They demonstrate a low-cost, differentiated approach that can quickly attract attention in highly homogeneous competition. This shifts the industry from “sales-driven” to “service-driven,” focusing on experience details to find non-price competitive advantages, and catering to the personalized needs of the new generation, opening new pathways to reach young clients and upgrade services to personalized offerings.

Brokerages also have clear positioning. A representative from Guojin Securities said that the “customized beautiful number” service not only helps investors remember their accounts easily, avoiding forgetfulness that could impact trading efficiency, but also provides a special commemorative value.

A related manager at Hualin Securities also noted that the core motivation for launching this service is to meet the needs of investors who desire personalized trading accounts, providing a more thoughtful investing experience.

Short-term “lucky head start” to attract clients—brokerages face the challenge of customer retention

This micro-innovation has also sparked different reactions in the market.

From the brokerage side, all institutions have high hopes for this service. From the investors’ perspective, Eastmoney Securities’ investment advisors say that recently, there have been quite a few inquiries about applying for beautiful numbers.

Some investors interviewed said, “This customized beautiful number is pretty good. I’ll use my birthday as the last four digits of the account, which is meaningful, and I can remember it.” They also mentioned recommending this service to friends, who choose lucky numbers as their account suffixes just for good luck.

“The process to apply for a beautiful number is simple, with no technical barriers, and it’s attractive to some new clients.” However, industry insiders also pointed out that “emotional value cannot fully replace professional investment guidance. Customers attracted by clever marketing tactics face clear challenges in retention and conversion.”

First, the resource of beautiful numbers is inherently scarce, limiting large-scale expansion. A Guojin Securities advisor told reporters, “Beautiful numbers are limited—like premium mobile numbers, each one is unique. If every new client applies, the supply will quickly run out. Our current strategy is to only process beautiful numbers for new clients who proactively request them.”

Second, a more serious challenge is customer retention after acquisition. Industry insiders say that while a “lucky number” with a “fortune buff” can help attract clients, relying solely on short-term good luck is insufficient to retain them. Zhang Pengyuan from PaiPaiWang Wealth analyzed that the appeal of beautiful numbers is short-lived; without continuous, professional advisory services and experience support, customers are likely to leave due to lack of a sense of value.

He emphasized that investors’ core demand is long-term asset appreciation, which cannot be replaced by beautiful numbers alone. Current industry data shows high early-stage churn rates among new clients. Relying solely on initial “good luck” makes it difficult for brokerages to break the cycle of “client acquisition and loss.” Only with solid, long-term services can true customer loyalty be achieved.

What comes after emotional value? Focusing on AI and service integration

Faced with multiple challenges, brokerages are increasingly focusing on deep integration of technology and services.

A related executive at Dongwu Securities told the Daily Economic News that the next core competitive barrier in retail brokerage is the comprehensive capability of “technology empowerment + professional services + ecosystem building,” which is also key to sustainable development.

“Dongwu Securities continues to innovate in services to meet investors’ emotional and experiential needs; at the same time, focusing on the deep water of wealth management transformation, we are strengthening efforts in technological empowerment, professional services, and business synergy to break homogeneous competition, truly create long-term value for investors, and explore feasible paths for high-quality development of retail brokerage,” the executive said. “Besides the beautiful number service, we are also fully committed to providing clients with one-on-one dedicated services.”

Guojin Securities is also actively deploying in the fields of buy-side advisory and financial technology. A related executive said the company is promoting AI-driven wealth management service upgrades, continuously deepening the transformation of buy-side advisory.

According to this person, Guojin Securities has increased investment in fintech R&D in recent years, aiming to develop service paradigms and practical tools centered on “AI advisory.” AI advisory addresses core investor questions like “what to buy, when to buy, when to sell, and how to handle existing holdings,” using a “strategy + service” model to create buy-side consulting. Several scenario-based products have been launched, such as AI stock picking, AI portfolio optimization, AI fund selection, and AI ETF trading.

“Additionally, Guojin Securities combines AI advisory with human advisors, offering upgraded services where professional investment consultants interpret AI-generated strategies, promptly alert clients to signals, opportunities, and risks, and help them dynamically adjust their portfolios according to market conditions,” the executive added.

Starting from the small entry point of “beautiful numbers,” brokerages continue to innovate, further consolidating their development foundation and enhancing their ability to serve clients. Of course, beyond emotional value, the real long-term value creation and customer trust will come from the ongoing deepening of buy-side advisory transformation.