Do self-employed people need to open an account in a bank to apply for social security?

If you are a self-employed person who handles social security, you don't need to open an account in a bank. You can pay social insurance premiums directly to the social insurance premium collection agency according to law, but you can only pay basic medical insurance premiums and basic old-age insurance premiums. Individual industrial and commercial households with employees and their employees pay social insurance premiums, and the employer shall, within 30 days from the date of employment, go to the social insurance agency to handle social insurance registration for their employees.

Legal objectivity:

People's Republic of China (PRC) social insurance law

Article 60

The employing unit shall declare itself and pay social insurance premiums in full and on time, and shall not postpone or reduce the payment except for legal reasons such as force majeure. The social insurance premiums that employees should pay shall be withheld and remitted by the employer, and the employer shall inform me of the details of paying social insurance premiums on a monthly basis. Individual industrial and commercial households without employees, part-time employees who have not participated in social insurance in the employing units and other flexible employees can pay social insurance premiums directly to the social insurance premium collection agencies.