China’s New Anti-theft Lock Standard Triggers Industry Shake-up as Low-end Producers are Forced out
More than two months after the mandatory GB 21556.2-2025 came into force, the lock sector is undergoing a deep restructuring – a “Grade C era” has begun.
A sweeping new national standard for anti-theft locks is reshaping China’s security hardware market, forcing substandard products off shelves, squeezing smaller manufacturers and handing a decisive advantage to major brands that helped write the rules.
The compulsory standard GB 21556.2-2025, Technical requirements for lock safety—Part 2: Burglary-resistant locks, took effect on 1 March 2026, partially replacing a set of rules that had been in place for 17 years. In the weeks since, the industry has been buffeted by rapid consolidation: low-end products are disappearing, small and medium-sized enterprises are scrambling to adapt, and leading players are racing to lock in their positions.
The standard is supervised by the Ministry of Public Security and implemented by the Security Protection Alarm Systems. Its principal drafting bodies include the ministry’s Testing Center for Quality of Security & Police Electronic Products under the Ministry of Public Security, the First Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security of PRC, and smart-lock manufacturers such as Kaadas, DESSMANN, Lockin, Xiaomi and Yunding. The transition period from publication to enforcement lasted less than seven months, catching many firms off guard.
From mechanical strength to four-dimensional protection
The most striking change is a fundamental upgrade in safety philosophy. The old GB 21556-2008 focused overwhelmingly on the physical resistance of mechanical locks – an approach that had become clearly outdated as smart locks gained mass adoption. The new standard makes electrical safety, environmental resilience, and – for the first time – cyber security and data protection mandatory for smart locks. The scope of anti-theft lock safety has thus expanded from a mainly mechanical concern to an integrated, four-dimensional system covering mechanical, electronic, informational and environmental security.
Technically, the standard introduces a new “Grade C” above the previous A and B levels, raising the bar sharply in three areas: hardware chips, firmware security and client applications. Zhang Jiguo, deputy director of the security electronics testing department at the testing centre and one of the standard’s drafters, said both functional testing and safety requirements have been significantly enhanced to keep pace with technological change. According to industry analyses, Grade C explicitly requires smart locks to use security chips certified to China’s national cryptographic Level 2 standards – replacing generic microcontrollers – and to implement encrypted firmware storage, signature verification for updates, and defences against network replay attacks.
For the first time, the security of client applications, including mobile apps and WeChat mini-programs, is also subject to mandatory assessment. Sensitive data such as unlock passwords must not be cached locally, and all communications must be encrypted end-to-end.
A survival test for smaller firms
The new standard is accelerating a polarisation of the industry. Before its introduction, more than 60 per cent of products made by China’s small and medium lock enterprises failed to meet the technical thresholds, according to industry data. The landscape now shows a stark contrast.
Leading brands that participated directly in drafting the standard – including Kaadas, DESSMANN and Lockin – had long completed their technical preparations. Some had carried out pre-testing for Grade C products and stockpiled inventory even before the enforcement date, using their financial and technological muscle to capture the premium market. Lockin, for instance, launched compliant Grade C products soon after the standard took effect, turning regulatory compliance into a competitive edge.
Smaller enterprises face a much rougher road. With research and development costs for upgrading running into the millions of yuan, many cannot upgrade independently and must turn to third-party solution providers to accelerate adaptation. Low-end locks assembled from cheap modules are being forced off the market because they cannot pass safety certification. As Zhongshan Dahan Security Technology Co., Ltd noted in an industry commentary, the new standard will speed up the shake-out, allowing quality component suppliers to expand market share on the back of their technological and compliance strengths and pushing the hardware and lock sector towards higher-quality growth.
To help companies manage the transition, the testing centre held a training workshop on the standard and inspection techniques in Hangzhou on 19 March 2026. More than 60 lock enterprise representatives attended, with key drafters Ma Wenjun and Zhang Jiguo delivering lectures on safety requirements, test methods and product certification planning for both mechanical and electronic anti-theft locks.
Online channels tighten simultaneously
While compliance pressures build offline, online supervision is being intensified in parallel. On 26 March 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation released a List of Key Industrial Products Sold Online (2026 Edition) (Draft for Comment) for public comment. Locks are explicitly included on the list, which targets products not covered by industrial production licensing or compulsory product certification but which involve personal health, life and property safety and have mandatory national standard requirements. Locks are placed in this category, covering seven types and 19 varieties. This means that anti-theft locks that do not comply with GB 21556.2-2025 face the risk of a total ban across all retail channels – offline and online.
At the same time, national consumption stimulus measures are reinforcing the upgrade from the demand side. Since the start of 2026, smart door locks have been included in “old-for-new” trade-in subsidy schemes, with many regions offering subsidies of 15 to 20 per cent, effectively spurring consumption of mid- to high-end products. The combination of upgrading consumer demand on one side and the standards-driven elimination of outdated supply on the other is accelerating the survival-of-the-fittest dynamic.
Analysis
The implementation of GB 21556.2-2025 marks a pivotal shift for China’s lock industry – from unchecked expansion towards standardised development. By moving from a narrow focus on “cylinder picking and drilling resistance” to a comprehensive, multi-layered security architecture, the new standard serves as both an institutional guarantee for consumer safety and a signpost for high-quality industry growth. The shake-out is far from over. Companies that can complete their technological upgrade and obtain Grade C certification first will be best placed to dominate the market in the years ahead. For consumers, looking for the “GB 21556.2-2025” label when buying a security lock is set to become basic common sense for protecting homes and property.