Best Chinese Crypto Projects in 2025

Several crypto projects founded in China have become popular in recent years. Below, we highlight the top Chinese blockchain platforms that are shaping industries and driving forward advancements in DeFi, security, and enterprise products.

We'll summarize the key information in the following table for quick comparison.

1. VeChain

VeChain implements blockchain to improve real-world supply chain logistics and transparency. VeChain’s dual-token system, VET and VTHO, allows for efficient fee management and incentivizes chain participation.

By integrating IoT devices, the VeChainThor blockchain ensures real-time tracking and verification of products. Its partnerships with industry giants like PwC, BMW, and Walmart China underline its practical applications and trustworthiness.

The platform’s focus on sustainability and carbon management (see VeChain CO2e dashboard) makes it a pioneer in environmental blockchains. With an expanding use case portfolio, VeChain is a key player in the enterprise blockchain space.

• Target Market: Focuses on industries requiring supply chain transparency, such as luxury goods, automotive, and pharmaceuticals.
• Features: Leverages IoT integration for accurate monitoring and verification, enhancing the scalability of the platform for large-scale enterprises.
• Tokenomics: Utilizes VET for governance and staking and VTHO to pay transaction fees, creating an efficient dual-token model.

2. NEO Blockchain

NEO, often dubbed the “Ethereum of China,” is a smart contract and digital asset platform designed to foster the development of a smart economy. It is known for its dual-token system, NEO and GAS, which supports effortless transactions and network governance.

NEO’s focus on regulatory compliance (recently joined the Web3 KYC alliance) and digital identity integration has attracted numerous developers and enterprises. Its ability to support multiple programming languages gives it a competitive edge in developer adoption.

Recent upgrades, like N3, strengthen NEO’s flexibility, making it future-ready. NEO’s vision aligns with China’s broader goals of digital transformation and innovation.

• Target Market: Aimed at digital asset management and smart contracts, particularly for enterprises and governments.
• Features: Uses dBFT for fast transaction processing and supports multi-language smart contracts, making it suitable for large-scale applications.
• Tokenomics: NEO is used for governance and staking, while GAS is utilized for transaction fees and network operations.

3. Conflux

Conflux is a high-performance blockchain designed to address capacity and decentralization challenges. Its innovative Tree-Graph consensus mechanism allows for concurrent block generation, ensuring fast and secure transactions.

Conflux has gained considerable traction due to backing from DWF Labs and Chinese government institutions. The platform’s commitment to regulatory compliance positions it as a bridge between traditional industries and DeFi.

With a growing infrastructure of decentralized protocols (Swappi, Curve, Moonswap) and enterprise use cases, Conflux is shaping the future of blockchain in China. Its focus on research and development ensures continuous technological progression.

• Target Market: Aimed at decentralized applications, e-commerce, and Web 3.0 infrastructure, focusing on security.
• Features: Utilizes the Tree-Graph consensus mechanism, enabling parallel processing of blocks and transactions to achieve high throughput and low latency.
• Tokenomics: The CFX token is used for transaction fees, staking rewards, and network governance, incentivizing participants and securing the network.

4. Ontology

Ontology provides a robust blockchain infrastructure tailored for enterprise options for decentralized identity (DID) and data privacy. Its ONT ID framework empowers users to have greater control over their digital identities across platforms.

Ontology’s high-speed blockchain supports interoperability, enabling swift communication with other networks. Strategic partnerships with institutions and businesses within China, like Shanghai Qingyue NGO, highlight its relevance in real-world applications.

The platform’s dual-token model, ONT and ONG, ensures efficient network operation and incentivizes user participation. Ontology’s emphasis on security and compliance makes it a trusted choice for businesses and governments.

• Target Market: Focuses on enterprises seeking decentralized identity and data solutions, including sectors like finance, healthcare, and supply chain management.
• Features: Employs a dual-token system (ONT and ONG) to manage governance and transaction fees, increasing versatility and user experience.
• Tokenomics: ONT is used for staking and governance, while ONG is utilized for transaction fees and network operations.

5. Nervos Network

Nervos Network is a Chinese blockchain platform co-founded in 2018 by Jan Xie, Terry Tai, Kevin Wang, Daniel Lv, and Cipher Wang. Its unique architecture, featuring a Layer 1 blockchain called the Common Knowledge Base (CKB), ensures optimal security and decentralization.

Nervos’s integration into China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) further underscores its prominence within Chinese tokens. The project has garnered attention, securing almost $100 million in funding from investors, including Sequoia China and Polychain Capital.

The platform’s collaboration with China Merchants Bank International highlights its strategic partnerships within the region. These developments solidify Nervos Network’s status as a leading Chinese blockchain project.

• Target Market: Aimed at decentralized applications (dApps), DeFi platforms, focusing on scalability and interoperability.
• Features: Employs a modular architecture with a secure base layer (Common Knowledge Base) and supports various Layer 2s.
• Tokenomics: The CKB token is used for transaction fees, staking, and governance within the Nervos ecosystem.

What is the Chinese Crypto Narrative?

The "China crypto narrative" emerged in 2023, fueled by two key regulatory shifts and economic policies. Hong Kong's decision to allow retail crypto trading and China's economic stimulus led to a surge in interest for cryptocurrencies linked to China, like Filecoin, NEO, VeChain, and Conflux.

However, the focus on "China coins" has since faded, with the new China narrative taking on a more macroeconomic focus. China’s recent discovery of an $83 billion gold deposit has sparked speculation it could use it as a financial injection into crypto.

At the same time, Changpeng Zhao (CZ) predicts that China will inevitably build a Bitcoin reserve, possibly front-running the US as it prepares to announce its own Bitcoin reserve, creating a potential competition between the two nations.

Is Crypto Regulated in China?

Cryptocurrency is heavily regulated in China, with trading and mining largely banned. Recent rules by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange require banks to monitor and report crypto-related transactions, targeting underground financial activities and cross-border exchanges.

These measures reflect Beijing’s efforts to control capital outflows and mitigate financial risks linked to unregulated digital assets. Stricter identity verification, trading frequency analysis, and risk management protocols further solidify China’s uncompromising stance on cryptocurrency.

Here is a historical timeline of the important shifts in crypto regulations in China:

• 2013: The People's Bank of China (PBOC) issued a warning about Bitcoin, citing financial risks like money laundering and fraud.
• 2017: The Chinese government banned all Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and domestic crypto exchanges to further tighten cryptocurrency regulations.
• 2021: China intensified its crackdown by shutting down major cryptocurrency mining operations, forcing miners to relocate internationally.
• 2022-2023: Focus shifted to developing the digital yuan, China's Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), while continuing bans on private crypto activities.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong has adopted a more progressive approach, implementing a crypto licensing regime that allows retail trading under strict regulatory oversight and has even suggested plans to add BTC to fiscal reserves.

Best Crypto Exchange For Buying Chinese Coins

Based on CEX data, Binance stands out as the best crypto exchange for buying Chinese coins, especially for VeChain (VET) and Nervos Network (CKB), with the highest trading volumes.

Upbit is another excellent choice, supporting three coins: NEO, ONT, and CKB, with substantial liquidity for each. For users focusing on Nervos Network (CKB) or Ontology (ONT), WhiteBIT also offers strong trading activity on spot markets.

Bottom Line

China’s top crypto projects are thriving by aligning innovation with the country’s strict regulations. VeChain leads in supply chain integration, NEO pioneers multi-language smart contract support, and Nervos excels in modularity.

These platforms demonstrate how China's blockchain ecosystem continues to evolve, balancing enterprise demands with compliance in one of the world’s most complex crypto environments.