76,000 yuan to become a shareholder of Zhongyuan Bank, Taobao.com reappears with ultra-low-priced equity auctions

You can become a shareholder with an investment of less than 76,000 yuan. Such ultra-low-price auctions have recently appeared online.

According to information from Taobao’s judicial auction platform, a stake of over 110,000 shares in Zhongyuan Bank has recently been listed for auction. The seller is a local court in the Zhongyuan region.

Based on the total auction price, the price per share of Zhongyuan Bank is only 0.68 yuan. Although this is more than double the stock price of the same company on the Hong Kong stock market, it has the advantage of not needing to open an account in Hong Kong, and the single transaction limit is small, which has attracted some discussion.

This is also a rare bank equity auction in 2023 with a price of only several ten thousand yuan, sparking more debate around this auction.

A Rare “Mini” Equity in Recent Years

Information shows that the People’s Court of Weidu District, Xuchang City, will conduct a public auction on the Taobao judicial auction platform from 10:00 on March 17, 2026, to 10:00 on March 18, 2026 (excluding extensions).

The auction target is 111,308 shares of Zhongyuan Bank with the stock code HK1216. The auction does not include movable indoor items or other claims and debts. The starting price is 75,968 yuan, with a deposit of 15,000 yuan, and an increment of 750 yuan.

Compared to other auctions at the same time, which can range from several million to tens of millions, or even over a billion yuan, this equity auction is quite “mini.”

Starting Price Has Already Been Discounted by 25%

According to the asset appraisal report, the valuation date for this equity is June 30, 2025, using the market approach.

The report shows that, based on national asset valuation standards, and under the principles of independence, fairness, and objectivity, with necessary valuation procedures, assuming conditions are met, the market approach yields an estimated value of 101,290.00 yuan (RMB: One Hundred One Thousand Two Hundred Ninety Yuan) for the 111,308 shares held by Zhang Zhanxiang, appointed by the People’s Court of Weidu District, Xuchang City, as of the valuation date.

Calculations show that the current starting price is roughly 75% of the estimated value.

Priced Higher Than the Secondary Market

However, as of around 14:30 on March 9, Zhongyuan Bank’s stock price was approximately 0.325 yuan per share. Based on this, buying 111,308 shares on the secondary market would cost less than 36,200 yuan.

Considering actual lot sizes, the total amount for a similar number of shares would be adjusted accordingly. But based on the per-share price, it is almost less than half of the starting bid.

This means that if one is willing, buying on the secondary market is not only cheaper than the auction but also likely more convenient.

Positioning Is Quite Awkward

Although online auctions have various advantages, whether this auction will succeed remains to be seen.

On one hand, there is a significant divergence in the valuation of Zhongyuan Bank’s equity, which could affect bidders’ enthusiasm.

Reference 1: Based on the interim report as of June 30, 2025, Zhongyuan Bank’s net assets were 2.91 yuan per share, with a half-year profit of 0.05 yuan per share. From the perspective of net asset value, Zhongyuan Bank’s value should not be less than 2.91 yuan.

Reference 2: Based on market valuation prices, using various industry valuation methods and historical transaction prices, such as applying a certain P/E ratio, its price should be higher than the secondary market transaction price.

Reference 3: According to recent market prices, the latest transaction price is around 0.325 yuan, indicating significant market disagreement.

Risk Warning and Disclaimer

Market risks exist; investments should be cautious. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not consider individual users’ specific investment goals, financial situations, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, viewpoints, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their particular circumstances. Investment is at your own risk.